For Her For Him
by nomdeplume1313
Summary: Riza Hawkeye has been shot and Ed takes on new responsibilities for her memory and for his commanding officer. Warnings: Yaoi, MPreg, and sexual situations. This is my best attempt at a plausible MPreg
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_**There Was Nothing He Could Do**_

Riza Hawkeye had been shot.

Time seemed to stop as Ed, even from his distance, didn't have to guess where she'd been hit. He had seen the bullet pass through her head with enough detail to give him nightmares for a thousand lifetimes. Though Ed had tried to protect her, put up a barrier to stop the bullet, it hadn't been enough to stop the determined first lieutenant. Hawkeye had thought Colonel Mustang was in danger, and even Edward Elric, sixteen-year-old prodigy, Fullmetal Alchemist, could not prevent her from her duty to the colonel. Nothing could.

"_Lieutenant, are you okay?" _

_Hawkeye left the makeshift latrine, wiping her mouth with her handkerchief. "I am fine." She would not meet his eyes as she tossed the soiled cloth aside. _

"_Bull!" Ed grabbed her wrist. "My mother said the same thing when she was sick, and you see where it got her." Riza finally met his gaze, looking somewhat taken back at the way Ed had just spoken of his own mother, a woman for whom only terms of extreme reverence were usually reserved. "You have been sick every morning, even a little later in the day. The colonel paired us together, and if something is wrong with you, damn it, I should know." Ed glanced up and saw a large suit of armor approaching. "You had better tell me now, or I'll let Al know, and you know how protective and pampering he is. I'll get him to smother it out of you." _

"_Believe me, Edward," she said, placing her free hand on Ed's shoulder, "this is natural."_

Ed had made it his duty to cover Hawkeye, had promised the colonel he would, and he had failed. Rebels were trying to take over Central, and he had been paired up with Hawkeye. Why did she have to be so damned stubborn, so protective of the colonel when that wasn't their mission? Didn't she understand that if something happened to her, especially now, he would die anyway?

Ed brought his hands together, then slapped them to the ground, forming an enclosed structure that ran the distance from himself to Riza, a feat that was much easier now that she was no longer moving and evading his attempts to keep her safe.

He wished it could have been difficult again.

He ran to her side, hoping that something locked away in his memory from Dr. Marcoh's research could help her. She just couldn't die. Not so soon. Not so close to Hughes. Ed knew he couldn't take it, and he was absolutely certain the colonel, bastard or not, would just as soon be dead himself.

He looked down at her lifeless form and began attempting arrays to save her. "Why the hell did you have to tell me?"

"_You're what?" _

"_Pregnant, Fullmetal," she said, irritated. "And try not to be so loud." _

_Ed's honey-colored eyes were wide, his mouth gaping. "Lieutenant, why are you here? You shouldn't risk the baby." _

"_I'm here because the colonel needs me." _

"_Yes, and so does that kid," Edward said, pointing to her stomach. _

"_Yes, but _that kid_ needs his father, and I won't risk losing him." _

"_Colonel Bastard? The father?" Riza only nodded. "Then what the hell are you doing here? The colonel needs you at home, safe." _

"_He isn't happy about this, either, Ed, but I threatened him at gunpoint not to order me to stay behind." _

"_That was stupid."_

Very stupid.

Ed had tried two arrays before coming to grips with the fact that absolutely nothing he did would save her. The bullet had hit its target and killed her. The more Ed tried to save her, the more he began to sense the life--no, lives--within her. And they were dying. There was one final array he could try, though Marcoh's notes hadn't included what its results might be. Edward pulled open Riza's uniform at her stomach and used the mixture of blood and dirt at his knees to draw the array onto her body.

She was dead, and he couldn't save her, but he wasn't going to let the colonel die, too. Mustang didn't have much in the way of reasons to live, and Ed would be damned if he wouldn't try save the only ones left.

0o0o0o0o0

Word had reached the colonel that Riza had been injured, but no one could get through the rebel forces to get to the barrier that Fullmetal had created around her. In his rage and sickening worry, a blast wen through the city, frightening those it didn't injure or kill, and made those more familiar with alchemy question if the alchemist had been using something to enhance his abilities. When Roy and an equally concerned Al burst through Fullmetal's barrier, they discovered the young alchemist unconscious over the lifeless body of the lieutenant, Roy's love. The effort the state alchemist had put into saving her life was obvious, and though part of Roy wanted to yell at, to hurt the teen for not protecting her, he could see how hard he had tried to save her.

"Take Fullmetal to the medic," Roy ordered. "And see to it that the lieutenant is properly taken care of."

Mustang turned on his heel and left, nearly choking on the cold words that had escaped his lips. They had been so emotionless, sounding just as a commanding officer is supposed to when a subordinate becomes one of the casualties. His heart was screaming at him for not trying to do something, for not at least breaking that carefully made image he had created as a leader for just a moment to show the pain that his heart truly felt. All he could do was find an abandoned ally in the now quiet, re-captured Central and begin to cry, tears at first coming silently, though they quickly soaked his white gloves as they clutched at his eyes. Then, a scream broke free of his throat, so angry, so hurt. One that none of the nearby military personnel failed to hear. One that none of them ever discussed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

_**Please Let Me Do This**_

Three days passed after Riza's death with Fullmetal drifting in and out of consciousness, according to Doctor Knox, whom Mustang had made especially certain was the only doctor to treat the teen, at least until more could be determined on what exactly he had done to Riza. Roy had made the obligatory visits to the hospital, but not even Al was allowed in with his brother, largely because there was still some doubt as to what had killed her, as those who didn't understand alchemy were suspicious of the number of alchemic symbols on her body, and even those who did understand the science were at a loss for the one that had been carefully drawn on her stomach. There was also concern that in the process of trying to perform alchemy on her, he might have done something to himself, as his state of consciousness did not seem to be warranted by the lack of any real damage done to his body.

A required autopsy held off Riza's burial by several days, drawing out Roy's anguish. He needed closure. He needed to see that she received proper burial before determining if he, himself, wanted to live. Everything he'd ever had to live for was gone. His best and oldest friend. His love. His child. Even his ambition to become fuhrer, since it had cost him the three much more important reasons to go on.

"Colonel Mustang," the medical examiner said, stepping out of her office to bring the colonel inside. Roy joined the middle-aged woman into the room, though forcing each step felt as though he was moving through molasses. "Colonel, we have investigated the body and see nothing unusual. I will say, only because you were her commanding officer and I'm sure nothing else…" This, of course, meant that the doctor suspected the opposite. "Riza Hawkeye seemed to have been recently pregnant, but there was no baby. There was not even a sign that a baby had been removed. It is quite possible it was a false pregnancy..."

Or that Fullmetal did something to change it, he finished, mentally, her unspoken words. Roy stormed out of the medical examiner's office, which was held near the morgue in the basement of the military hospital. As he charged through the building, no one dared to stand in the Flame Alchemist's way, even non-military family members knew either by reputation or the anger on his face that it was best simply to move. He cornered a terrified nurse to confirm Fullmetal was still where Roy had left him, in the most hidden part of the hospital, where only alchemic cases were treated.

Roy had no problem finding the place. Even before Fullmetal, the colonel had become accustomed to the secret area of the hospital more than he liked to admit.

No longer did he feel as though moving through a thick liquid; his adreneline was pumping and his anger, his desire to strangle the very life from his subordinate was winning out. He reached the guarded metal doors, nonverbally daring the two soldiers on guard to stop him. He pushed open the doors, finding Al sitting, armor hunched in front of a second set. These were also protected, but these two soldiers seemed more willing to stand up to the man in front of them.

"Colonel," Al said, rising to his metallic feet, "you can't go in there. They won't even let me in to visit Brother."

"There are several oxygen tanks in this room. I am quite certain no one would want to see me start an open flame at the moment." Roy held his gloved hand upwards, fingers prepared to snap. The two guards stepped aside, deferring to his superior title and incensed attitude. Roy burst through the doors, Al on his heels, following. "What did you do to my child?" Roy demanded upon finding Dr. Knox standing over Fullmetal, who held his arms over his eyes, hands tightly clasped at his elbows. "Where is my baby?"

"Right here." Dr. Knox said. It was then that Roy finally noticed that the doctor was moving an ultrasound transducer over the teen's bare stomach. Fullmetal was laying shirtless, a sheet covering him below his hips, a clear gel smeared on his abdomen, a sonogram monitor to his right. Seeing Roy, the doctor turned back to the image on the screen, very curious about what he was seeing. "This new technology," he explained, "allows us to see inside of the human body and is very useful in cases like this."

Roy didn't understand and didn't want to. He had a passing acquaintance with ultrasound and didn't care to listen to the doctor talk about his latest toy. The monitor showed nothing that Roy could see, and he honestly didn't care if he did as he closed the distance between himself and his subordinate, who continued to cover his face with his arms. "What the hell did you do?" Roy grabbed the metal arm, and as the other was clasped onto it, it came with the right, revealing two watery, exhausted gold eyes. "Answer me!"

"I promised I would protect her. I promised you I would keep her safe. I promised myself that she would be okay. I tried. I couldn't save her. I knew she was…" Ed sobbed. "And that it was yours. She told me that morning. I tried to save her. Save the baby. I couldn't stop her in time. I failed. She died because I failed. She died because of me."

Roy was still seething at the blond, his grip on the automail growing tighter, his mouth incapable of offering any words of comfort.

"But you didn't fail, Brother," the hollow armor echoed. "Everyone who saw it said you tried as hard as you could to keep up. Lieutenant Hawkeye thought the colonel was in danger. She is, was, unstoppable when he was in harm's way. Brother, you did everything you could."

"And you did save the babies," Dr. Knox interjected.

"Babies?" Roy asked, unintentionally releasing the teen's arms, which immediately moved again to his eyes.

"Twins, the major said," the doctor said, looking down at Fullmetal, then moved the machine around and pointed with his right hand to two tiny, not entirely human things now residing in the blonde's gut.

"Fullmetal," Roy said, "how did you do this?"

"It was from Dr. Marcoh's notes, listed as a method of saving a baby." Ed sighed beneath his arms. "I had no idea this was how it meant."

"Brother," Al said, putting a metal hand on the blond head on the table. "Doctor, can the babies be moved to another alchemist? A woman?"

Dr. Knox removed the wand-like instrument and wiped it clean. "I fear the trauma of another alchemic move might destroy them. As it is, the pregnancy appears to be going well. Your brother's body is adapting to bear them, and they are adapting to him."

"They are adapting how?" Roy asked, coal-black eyes narrowing at doctor, rage growing at the man, who seemed to be treating this as an interesting experiment.

"From what I can tell, they share the major's blood type, which couldn't be possible in any combination of yours and the lieutenant's."

"So they aren't even ours any more?" Roy practically growled.

"Not at all. From what tests I have managed, it merely appears that some parts of the major have been incorporated." Dr. Knox began wiping off the alchemist's still-muscular stomach, as what at first sounded like nervous laugher came from the teen. With a cloth dragging over a sensitive stomach, laughter was to be expected, but it only served to fan the flames of the pyromancer. Al remained the conscientious brother, still rubbing the blond head with those large hands. The noises grew louder and Roy realized what they had heard had not been laughter. The Fullmetal Alchemist was sobbing.

"If this all wasn't enough," he said behind his arms, "the damned bastard has been giving me hormones. I can't seem to make this stop." He lowered the arms, his face red and swollen. Roy realized this was no easier on the teen than it was on him.

"If he stopped taking the hormones?" Roy suggested to the doctor.

"His male hormones would likely destroy the fetuses."

"Fullmetal, I am not going to ask you to go through with this." He turned back to Dr. Knox. "You can stop the hormones. It isn't fair to the runt."

"Who are you calling so short the babies will be twice his size?" The teen asked amid sobs.

"Brother, no one said anything remotely close to that."

Fullmetal reached beneath the sheet and squirmed as he pulled his pants back over his hips, which had already, it seemed, grown wider as he struggled to move the usually snug leather over them.

"Mustang," he said, having successfully won the fight with his clothing, leaning forward, resting his weight on his elbows, "the doc says my body is making itself ready to carry your kids, and the hormone shots are making sure that my body's efforts aren't wasted." He sat upright, swinging his legs over the side of the table, placing his human hand on Roy's forearm. His automail limb moved to his belly. "If they are all you have left of her, then I am willing. I won't terminate this."

"Brother?"

"What? You think being…" He looked down at his abdomen. "will stop me from finding the philosopher's stone?" Ed moved his hands to either side of his body. "I promised you I would get your body back, and this certainly isn't going to stop me." Ed pushed himself off the bed to show just how healthy he was, only to stumble into Roy's arms. "Light-headed," he explained.

With Al's help, Roy guided Ed back on the exam table, despite his protests that he was more than capable of doing it on his own.

"Fullmetal, it seems obvious that you are not strong enough--"

"Actually, he is. Possibly stronger than some women who find themselves in his position." The teen looked up at the doctor, as though he had heard this all before, then settled himself on his side on the table. "Colonel, I do not think you realize what his body is going through for those children. It has created a mock uterus to give them a space in which to grow. It traded his appendix and gall bladder--which I understand Riza had already had removed from her own body--in order to obtain the babies in the first place. Then, his body healed where the appendix and gall bladder were removed, so not to harm the babies or cause internal bleeding. As we speak, it is trying to find a way to deliver them."

"Though I prefer drugging me and cutting them out," Fullmetal interjected from his position, sounding and looking half asleep. Roy looked down at the blond, absolutely shocked that not only had the teen thought this out, but had decided to have the babieseven though it meant surgery.

"He may be light-headed and have morning sickness, which I have observed during his conscious moments, but these symptoms are not uncommon in even the most traditional pregnancies.

"But this is hardly traditional," Roy said, trying to remain standing, the rush of adrenaline fading and his body growing weak. He'd been through too much, and he certainly didn't need to add to his list of troubles that his teenaged, male subordinate was now with child. His child. Roy had been functioning on next to nothing for days, and it was all catching up to him.

"Listen, Colonel," Dr. Knox said, "I can't keep him here while you two try to decide what you're doing. He's perfectly healthy, all things considered, and the two of you need time to discuss this. You may return him to the dorms and I will give you a written statement that at the moment he should not be doing any strenuous activity, and I will try to find some legitimate-sounding excuse."

"I am not dropping him off at the dorms. Al, you and Fullmetal will stay with me." He looked down for any protest from the volatile young alchemist, but all that came as reply was a faint snore.

0o0o0o0o0

Ed sat against the headboard of the guestroom bed at Mustang's rather large home, knees drawn up protectively to his chest, arms wrapped around his knees, listening to the pounding on the door, and watching the clock for the exact second he needed to use the needle beside his bed. Outside, he could hear the voices of Al and Mustang demanding to be let back in. Both had disagreed on many things regarding the care and treatment of the pregnant alchemist in the guestroom, but had seemed to find one thing they both agreed on: Ed needed to stop taking the hormones. Both were obviously concerned about Ed's health and all possible results if the military found out. A pregnant male would more than likely become a guinea pig for one of the multiple military labs in the country.

Mustang, on his part, was also driven by his grief over Hawkeye and the idea of their children together becoming their children together with _Ed_ apparently didn't sit well with the commanding officer. Al seemed concerned with the continued search for the philosopher's stone and what the remaining six or so months of pregnancy could mean in terms of lost leads. It was a rare show of selfishness on the part of the younger Elric, but Ed didn't begrudge it. He tried to remain positive, but those same doubts were running though his own mind.

He knew he couldn't let Al down. He had promised. But he couldn't let the babies simply be absorbed into his body. He had also made a silent promise to her and Mustang.

The two on the other side of the room accused him of being unsure of his own feelings on the pregnancy, but he knew his emotions were quite solid. He was scared absolutely and completely shitless. He also knew he didn't really have a choice in the matter. As much as he tended to scream "Colonel Bastard!" at his commanding officer, as he was doing at the moment, his mourning superior seemed to be temporarily forgetting his heartbreak in his concern for Ed--it certainly was having the same effect on the teen. Mustang had once before tried to kill himself, drink himself into oblivion, and even attempt human transmutation when in the midst of such despair. No one _really_ talked about it, but the rumors were there, and Ed had seen how much Mustang had relied on Lieutenant Hawkeye following Hughes's death. Here was a man whose mental state could become questionable in depression, and Ed wasn't going to mess with it by removing the only factor that kept his superior clinging to reality.

"Fullmetal, do not make me burn down this door," Mustang yelled almost fatherly. Ed had alchemically sealed himself in before the two could stop him from using that syringe next to him.

"Go ahead and burn it," Ed taunted. "It's your own damned door. I'm not the one who's going to have to put it back together."

Ed could hear scraping on the other side and knew Al was drawing some kind of array on the door. He looked at the clock, still two minutes to go, but he knew that it would not hurt himself or the babies taking the hormones a few minutes early. He grabbed the syringe in his automail hand and held out his own left arm, looking for the vein. Dr. Knox had shown him how to do this, and Ed found that his resolve made the process easier. Without looking up, he could hear Al transform the doors, allowing for both the armor and the raven-haired man to enter. Effortlessly, Ed slid the needle into his arm and forced the liquid into his veins.

Al and Mustang stopped in what Ed could see was shock on the face of the colonel and he supposed must have been in the glowing orbs that served as Al's eyes. It was hardly a secret that needles were right up on Ed's list beside milk and being called short, but there was no hesitation in his face as he squeezed the remaining fluid into his arm. His gaze on the two intruders remained steady, daringly narrowing his eyes as he pulled the needle from his arm. "Doc said I could start using a pill after a while. I'll be glad. I've only got one arm, and I certainly don't trust either of you to find a vein anywhere else."

Al came closer, sitting delicately at the edge of the steel-framed bed. Mustang stood, looking at Ed, his hand upon the footboard.

"For whatever reason, I am able to do this," Ed said, once again pulling his legs up onto himself. "The doc called it a multiple miracle. The babies survived the lieutenant's death." He could feel himself tearing up. "They managed to survive being transferred into me. And my body is literally changing itself to make sure I can carry them." The tears were rolling down his cheeks by this point, and he was incapable of stopping them. "Now, please, just let me do it!" He knew this time that the tears were not simply the result of the hormones or exhaustion. He was thinking about her and, without admitting it, about the man standing at the foot of his bed. "She was so happy. She was so sure about having a baby. She knew it was what she wanted. She didn't even get to know she was having twins." Ed felt himself being dragged across the bed and pulled beside Al, the hard metal of his arm poking into Ed's left side. Mustang moved in front of Ed, looking down at him for a moment before letting out a startled grunt as Ed's automail arm wrapped around him, embracing him.

Mustang returned the hug, his own tears falling onto the blond hair below him, his other arm wrapping around the unfeeling metal armor. His legs grew weak and he slumped down, now being held up by the two boys and their metal limbs.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

_**Her Funeral**_

Roy was finally able to give Riza a proper funeral, doing his best to look stoic, despite the tear stains that belied his true state of mind. Al stood at the rear of the crowd of military personnel, while Ed held a place at the Colonel's side, daring any of the higher-ups to deny him this place. No one questioned a hidden meaning behind this sudden closeness between the colonel and major, as Riza's death was expected to either make them hate one another for drawing useful air, or bring them closer, feuding put aside for the grief they now shared.

Ed reached up and placed his left hand on Roy's shoulder. That tiny gesture was not lost on the Flame Alchemist, who returned the sign of comfort with a hand to the middle of the teen's small back. Ed's grip on the older man's shoulder tightened reassuringly as Roy fought to watch as her casket was lowered into the ground. Roy's arm tensed and he could feel the hot tears flood down his cheeks. He couldn't fight the them, but he managed to hold back the sobs, part of him relying heavily on Fullmetal, who was demonstrating a strength Mustang could only wish he had.

The funeral over, Roy and Ed followed Jean Havoc to the colonel's car, while Major Armstrong pulled Al aside to speak with him. Roy only half-acknowledged Armstrong's actions, despite the fact that he had been the one to order them. He walked behind Ed, opening the car door for the teen, and attempting to help him in, only receiving a glare for his efforts. Ed wasn't far enough along in the pregnancy to accept the colonel's help, and Roy knew there would probably be no point in the pregnancy when the hardheaded teen's pride would willingly accept the help of another.

Roy took his seat beside Ed, who had now caught sight of his brother and the major. "Colonel, we have to rescue Al. He'll never get away."

Winding down the window, Roy yelled out to Armstrong, "Will you drive Al to Ginny's Dinette?" Armstrong's response was a shimmering salute to the colonel. Roy wound the window back up and looked to Ed, who, despite watery eyes, was glaring. "He looked as though he needed to talk to Al, and the drive is only five minutes, so it won't prolong your brother's agony."

It amazed Roy that the teen was able to provide such a distraction for him, as he realized again how much he had wanted to continue to cry when he had first sat in the vehicle, as all thought of that was nearly forgotten now. He looked at Ed, who had turned to look out the window on his left, his flesh hand propping up his head, his automail limb rubbing his lower stomach. Roy watched as silent tears rolled down the teen's cheeks, and once again, the desire to cry rose inside of Roy's chest. He fought it off, trying to be strong for the sixteen-year-old beside him. He reached out his left arm and put it on Fullmetal's shoulders.

Nervously, Ed looked over at Roy, then turned in the seat. Yet somehow, rather than being the one giving comfort, he found Fullmetal trying to offer it to him. "Let it out."

"I shouldn't. I--" He was cut off as Ed wrapped his arms around him. Roy looked up at Havoc's surprised eyes in the rearview mirror before he broke down and began to sob onto Fullmetal's shoulder. "I'm not supposed to…"

"Anyone who gets shit on as much as you do deserves to let the world know it." Ed's left hand held onto Roy's head, the right around his waist. Feeling as though he didn't need to pretend his heart wasn't breaking in two, he locked his own arms around the blonde, comforted by the teen's strength. Strength capable of holding up a crying commander, capable of carrying children that would have otherwise have been lost.

Unfortunately, the same reason Roy had managed to convince Fullmetal to allow his younger brother to ride along with Armstrong remained true. It was only about a five-minute drive to the dinette, and now Roy's face was red and swollen from crying.

"Lieutenant," Ed said, still holding Roy, "would you go ahead inside and stall while the colonel can regain his composure?"

"Sure, Boss." Havoc said, exiting the car.

"You stay here as long as you need to," Ed said, never releasing his hold on Roy's head and waist.

"Why?" Roy asked the question, muffled somewhat by Fullmetal's shoulder, though it was really many wrapped into one: Why are you doing this? Why are you willing to carry my children? Why did Riza have to die?

"Listen, Mustang," Ed said, almost authoritatively, "I know what it means to do something stupid and desperate because you miss someone, and I also know she loved you as much as you loved her. All you had to do was look at her face when she talked about you. Do you really think that someone who tried so hard to protect you would actually want to wallow in pain? You need to cry, to let it out, but you have to live. You're going to be fuhrer one day and change this whole country. You're going to make all the women wear a mini-skirt, remember?" Ed chuckled. He pulled back a little. "And I'll swear to you, I will do another human transmutation if you try and leave me to deal with this," He looked down at his stomach. "alone."

Roy reached into his pocket to pull out a handkerchief to wipe his face while Ed slid his red jacket onto the back seat. "Better leave this here," Ed said. "You pretty much soaked it." Grabbing one of the sleeves, he wiped his own face. Roy leaned back against the seat, fighting of dry sobs. "Feel better?"

"Yes. No." Roy jammed the handkerchief back in his pocket, once again looking at Fullmetal. "Thank you."

"Anytime, old man."

Roy opened the door, sliding out and this time didn't offer to help his subordinate exit, only waiting for him. As Ed rose to his feet, he stumbled, grabbing onto Roy as he did. "Lightheaded again?" Ed nodded as he leaned on the older man for support.

"Brother!" came an echoing voice from just down the street. There was the noise of clanging metal as Al came running toward the two alchemists.

"I'm okay, Al, just a little dizzy." As Roy grabbed one of Fullmetal's arms, Al grabbed the other. Looking up at the suit of armor, Roy would have sworn if it could glare, it most certainly was at the moment. He was fairly sure that a great deal of the anger radiating form the younger Elric had originated in the conversation with Major Armstrong, but it wasn't as though Al had been too happy with Roy over the last two days. The way he acted, one would have thought Roy went and knocked Ed up.

"Is something wrong with young Elric?" Armstrong asked.

"He hasn't been eating right since he got out of the hospital," Roy said. "We need to get him a little something."

"Who you calling so small he could make a feast on a grain of rice?" Ed asked, his hand clenching onto the colonel's arm.

"See," Roy said, grateful he was on Fullmetal's left for only a moment as he remembered the automail foot, which soundly kicked his shin. "Perfectly normal."

"I'm fine now," Ed said, shaking free of each who flanked him.

Roy walked behind, looking up at Armstrong expectantly, who nodded his head in response.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

_**Teacher **_

Things had been tense at Mustang's house in the days since the funeral, but never had Ed heard the raised voices that brought him out of his sleep that afternoon. The Colonel and his brother were actually fighting this time. Mustang hadn't been of much use for the last few days, and Ed seemed to be ever-present, so there had been no chance for Al to corner the colonel before. Ed slid out of the warm bed, poking his head outside, not certain if he should intervene at first, since both Al and Mustang seemed to have needed to duke this one out for quite a while.

"Are you going to just keep him here against his will?" Al asked.

Ed stepped from the doorway, trying to make his uneven gait as quiet as possible, though the distinctive "thud, clank" was still there. He supposed the "He" in question was himself and thought perhaps this _was_ a conversation he needed to be in on.

"I won't have him risk his health or that of the babies. It is as simple as that."

"And you think Brother will just go along with this?"

"Go along with what?" Ed asked as he came down the stairs. Both Al and Mustang looked at him as though he was a kid who had just interrupted an "adult conversation." Ed folded his arms across his chest. "If you didn't want me to be here for this, then don't do it in the hallway. I could hear you from my bedroom, and I was sound asleep."

Ed moved between his commander and brother and looked from one to the other. "Go along with what?"

"With letting Major Armstrong look for the Philosopher's Stone instead of you," Al said.

Ed's gold eyes darkened as he turned on Mustang. "What is he talking about?"

"You have an uncanny habit of getting yourself hurt, Edo."

"Don't call me that, Colonel Bastard."

"The simple fact is, I don't want you getting hurt." The colonel put his left hand in his pocket, a relaxed stance Ed was familiar with from repeated meetings concerning reports and damaged property, but it seemed a move done now to give the impression of being relaxed. "I approached Major Armstrong about seeking out possible leads on the stone while you are indisposed. I asked him about approaching Al to help him and told him that any information he found would be returned to Central, where you would read over it to determine its worth."

"Why do you think I would agree to that?"

"Because it is your only option." Mustang looked over at the armor. "And Al already agreed to Armstrong that he would go."

Ed looked over at his brother, a little hurt that he was willing to abandon him. "You agreed to this, Al?"

"I figured at least _one_ Elric needed to still be looking for the stone," Al answered coldly. Ed was about to say something, anything when a rather loud knock was heard at the front door. Roy moved to answer it, but before he reached the door, it was no longer there. Roy now stood facing Winry, a rather large dark-haired man, and a woman with braided hair who looked like she was ready to kill. And though his commanding officer didn't know them, Ed's eyes widened in a rare show of fear.

Ed immediately recognized the Curtises.

"Shit."

"You will replace that," the colonel said, pointing to the door, sounding as calm and collected as ever, though he might have been more threatening had Winry not been there.

"Edward and Alphonse Elric," Izumi said, walking by the colonel.

"Shit!" Ed repeated as he began backing against the wall.

"Teacher," Al said, pleading.

"The rumors are true, then." She walked up to Edward and punched him in the face. Before Ed could think to react, to answer, Roy had pulled on his glove and snapped his fingers, not really hurting Ed or Izumi, but it did appear he had singed her a bit. With that distraction, Ed was surprised to find himself now standing behind Mustang.

"Keep your hands off of him!" Roy clasped Ed to his back and stared down the angry woman, defiantly.

"This is between my pupil and me," Izumi said.

"And your pupil is one of my state alchemists, so I'm afraid it involves me as well."

Standing behind the colonel, Ed was surprised by how protective the older man had become, even daring to face down the one woman who terrified Ed the most.

"Edward, do you need this dog of the military to speak for you?"

"You are standing in this 'dog's' house, threatening his guest, and damaging his property."

Izumi held her hand inches apart, ready to user her alchemy on Ed's commanding officer. "I only mean to teach the boy a lesson."

Mustang's right hand protectively clutched onto Ed, bringing their bodies together and making Ed damned grateful the colonel could not see the faint blush coming to his cheeks. "If it involves striking him, then you will have to do it through me."

Ed had been watching the face-off between his teacher and C.O. so intently that he had failed to notice that Al and Winry seemed desperate to stop this fight and were making quite a commotion.

"Then answer me this: Did you and Al try to do a human transmutation?" Izumi asked of Ed.

"Yes." Ed answered, his face buried in Mustang's coat.

"You performed forbidden alchemy and paid for it with your bodies. How much of Al is even left?"

"Just my soul, Teacher," Al answered as the colonel continued to grab onto the back of Ed's shirt, still holding the teen close.

"Tell me," Mustang asked, "do you think there's a lesson you can teach these two that would be any more effective than what they've already suffered?"

Izumi's eyes narrowed, but Roy stood his ground.

"Colonel," Ed said from behind, "you can let go of me." The older man released Ed, but stayed in his spot. Some of the tension gone from the room, Winry came over to Ed and inspected the swelling on his jaw from Izumi's blow before proceeding to smack him, berating him for not telling her he had been sick or that Hawkeye had been shot.

"Will you all stop hitting him?" Roy said, pulling Ed away from his mechanic. "He couldn't tell you about Riza because he was sick, and couldn't tell you he was sick because," Roy swallowed. "of Riza."

"You are his colonel?" Izumi asked, glancing over the uniform Roy wore, then met the colonel again in the eyes. "Do you pamper all of your subordinates this way?"

"If they haven't been well and are being attacked by two women who've broken into my home? Yes."

Mustang did not seem to flinch even the least as Izumi continued to scowl at him. Ed had to admit he was impressed, even though something about his commanding officer's protection of him felt instinctual, just as cowering behind him had felt quite natural. Then again, when Izumi Curtis looks at you like she might kill you, you don't argue if someone is willing to step between you and certain death.

"If you wish to speak to Ed and Al," Roy said, "I suggest you come to the kitchen. I can make coffee and see if Ed has left any food in the cupboards."

Ed wanted to get angry at the colonel until he noticed that for the first time in casual conversation, Roy had not called him Fullmetal or the more irritating Edo. The group walked out of the hall and toward the kitchen, Roy keeping his left hand defensively on Ed's automail shoulder.

0o0o0o0

Once in the kitchen, Roy found himself trying not to go after Fullmetal's teacher for punching the blonde. Roy kept reminding himself that no one knew that Ed was pregnant and that they were trying to keep it that way. Ed sat at the kitchen table, looking nervously up at Mustang, then over at the three intruders.

"Fullmetal, do you need anything?"

"Hmm?" Ed asked as though being jerked from sleep. "Oh, I'm kinda hungry."

"What else is new?" Roy asked with a smile, so kind it almost shocked even him. "What would you like?"

"No milk, obviously, and I don't think I could stomach fish."

Roy looked in his cupboards, finding some rice and canned chicken--Roy never knew how long he would need food to last and usually bought canned unless specifically preparing a dinner. There were enough spices in the cabinets that he felt he could turn this into an actual meal. "Rice and chicken?"

Ed nodded.

"The rest of you can eat whatever the bottomless pit leaves behind." He got a glare from Ed for that, but it was true. Ed simply hadn't stopped eating since he had arrived at Roy's house, making the excuse for his lightheadedness more than a small white lie. "I'm not a short order cook." Ed seemed to be looking up at Roy, anticipating a short joke that the colonel just wasn't in the mood to deliver. "However, I would appreciate it if someone could repair my front door."

The teacher disappeared for a moment, and Roy could hear as she reformed the property she had damaged. When she returned, Roy had the rice boiling and was stirring the chicken in the pan, desperately trying not to make it look like dog food, which he suddenly remembered he was going to need to buy. Havoc had agreed to take on Black Hayate while Roy nursed Ed back to health, and with over a week since Riza's death, Roy wasn't sure how much longer he could convince his lieutenant he was not yet capable of caring for a dog.

"Mustang?" Ed asked from the table. "I think I need to introduce you to the people who barged into your house. You already know Winry, and this is Sig and Izumi Curtis."

"She was your teacher?"

"She taught us about alchemy, Colonel," Al's voice echoed coldly. He and Roy still hadn't resolved their argument.

"I wish I hadn't," the woman said.

Roy returned to cooking, listening in on the argument between teacher and ashamed students, but figuring as long as it didn't end in physical violence, Fullmetal could defend himself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

_**Friends? **_

Winry left to stay with Gracia and Elysia Hughes about five minutes ago, afraid that if she stayed any later, it might disturb the four-year-old's sleep. Roy was grateful Gracia had still been willing to take the girl in, unsure if he, himself could manage to have the daughter of those two doctors in his home. He still hadn't gotten up the nerve to tell her he had been the one in Ishbal, the reason she was orphaned, and he honestly wasn't sure what would happen if she realized it while still at his home, what kind of arguments might ensue, and worst of all, what Fullmetal would think of him if he knew.

Instead, he got to pass one more day with that hanging over his head, and one more day where he didn't have to face it, thanks to Gracia.

The teenage girl had confessed she hadn't known of Maes's death when she called Gracia asking to stay. Four months had passed battling the rebellion in Central after Hughes's death, four months where she had no contact with either Ed or Al, as they were ordered to return from their trip to the automail Mecca with Winry to fight the rebellion, which seemed to ebb and flow like the tide. No sooner did any in the military think it was over than it was started again. Honestly, Roy thought it was a convenient distraction away from uncovering his friend's death.

Not knowing had not been her fault, but Roy had called Gracia to make absolutely certain that she was fine having the teen stay, feeling a pang of guilt that in those last four months, he had hardly spoken to his friend's wife. Gracia, always kind to a fault just like Maes, had said she was glad to have Winry at her house, and that since she had asked, it had been all Elysia had talked about. Roy was not about to argue.

Al had escorted Winry to the Hughes' house, and Roy was honestly grateful that, for at least an hour, he was trapped in his home with only one alchemist that hated him, musing that said alchemist wasn't Ed. Strangely enough, his arguments with the teen had been reduced to the occasional teasing and glares, and even these had lost their edge.

Roy wasn't exactly sure what to call his relationship with the teen. Friend was closest, but Roy seriously doubted there was a dictionary definition for it. Sitting on the leather sofa beside Ed, occasionally looking over at him, the colonel wondered if Ed had any idea how often he absent-mindedly rubbed his stomach. It was rather touching, and Roy realized that every time he saw the young alchemist do it, he felt the need to smile, even giving in to that need every so often. He tried hard not to imagine it was Riza, not to picture her in Ed's place, and just be grateful that this friend was willing to go through all of this.

Izumi was still lecturing Ed when the alarm clock beside the sofa went off, startling the large butcher and making the teacher raise an eyebrow. With the resignation of a week's habit, Ed rose from the sofa, despite the fact that Izumi was still yelling at him.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"It's time for my medicine," Ed answered, flatly, straining to extend his left arm. Roy rose and followed him into the kitchen as Ed was removing his long-sleeved black shirt, looking down at his arm. Roy followed his gaze and saw how bruised the limb had become.

Fullmetal looked up at Roy. "I've got to get Winry to improve my fine motor skills."

"You've been bruising yourself like this, and you didn't ask for help?" Ed shrugged. "Give me the syringe." The teen looked at Roy doubtfully. "_My_ fine motor skills are perfect."

Roy could feel the teen's eyes on him as he took the syringe and measured out the prescribed amount of the hormone. "How long until you go to a pill form?"

"Couple of weeks."

Roy turned to Ed and looked at the arm. "This whole thing's blue. I can't find a vein in this. We'll have to try your leg." Ed winced. "I'll be careful." Ed began unbuttoning the leather pants. "I never thought I'd see the day that you willingly took a needle."

"I've done it enough over the last few days. It's just a little prick." Ed twisted his face as it grew red, something Roy had noticed was happening more frequently. "Not a word, Mustang."

"Never, Fullmetal."

Ed struggled as he pushed down the pants. Roy couldn't help but notice how tight the things were becoming. His eyes lingered a little longer than probably necessary, which he blamed on realizing he was going to have to lend the shorter alchemist some of his own, possibly even take him shopping. After all, his body was absolutely changing, and clothing designed for a teenage boy would not cut it much longer. Roy was going to have enough problems when people found out he had a subordinate living with him, he couldn't afford to have him naked, too.

As the teen's pants pooled around his ankles, Roy knelt behind him, searching for a vein, finding one at the back of the blonde's knee. "Will you get me some alcohol on cotton? I've found a vein." Fullmetal complied, handing the wet cotton ball to the Flame Alchemist, who rubbed it along the back of the teen's leg. With a smirk, Roy looked up at Ed. "You're ticklish." He ran the cotton ball around the knee joint again, enjoying the sight of Ed's twists.

"Stop it. Just use the needle before I kick you with my left leg."

Roy grabbed the syringe from the table and lightly smacked the back of Ed's leg.

"What the hell?"

"Bringing the vein out, Edo." Roy began pressing the needle into the young man's flesh.

"I told you not to call me that, Colonel Bastard. And you smack me again, I swear I'll deck you."

"All done." Roy rose and allowed Ed to pull his pants back up.

"So what kind of stomach medicine requires injections?" A voice asked behind them. They turned to find Izumi scowling at them.

"He caught a nasty virus." Roy explained, hoping he didn't completely screw up the long medical name that Dr. Knox had given Ed's made-up illness. He remembered the symptoms, treatments, everything, but somehow, he felt this woman was less willing to believe than the military brass had been.

Roy gathered up the hormones and needles and placed them back in the medicine cabinet in the kitchen as he finished the speech he'd learned by wrote.

Roy guided Ed back inside the main room, where Sig remained seated in Roy's favorite chair. Izumi followed the two state alchemists into the room and watched them strangely. "Edward, you are going to tell me what the state's dog was injecting you with. Was it some kind of steroid? Something to make you more powerful? What?"

"He told you it was medicine," Ed said, scooting back in the sofa, darting his eyes at Roy who had yet to take a seat beside him.

"Do you even know what it is?"

"Yes!" Ed looked over at Roy. Ed wanted to tell her, but was waiting for permission, actually seeking Roy's approval, to do so.

"They are hormones," Roy said.

"Growth hormones?" Sig asked.

"What the hell does that mean?" Ed said, jumping from his seat. "You've managed to stay quiet this long. Hell, I haven't even seen you since I was a kid, and the first real thing you say is a damned short joke?" Roy saw as Ed stumbled, and the colonel ran to catch him before he fell. The gold eyes looked up to very worried obsidian. "Damn, this has got to stop."

"And you wanted to know why I was sending your brother with Armstrong and making you do desk work?" Roy said lightly, though he was, in truth, growing worried at the blonde's dizzy spells.

"Bastard," Ed said, half-heartedly.

"Yeah, I know." Roy helped Ed get to his feet, guiding him back to the sofa. "Are you all right?" Ed nodded. Roy no sooner had Ed on the couch than he felt a swift kick to his kidney, buckling him to his knees.

"What did you do to Edward?" Izumi demanded. "Why is he taking hormones? What kind of hormones? And why is he so weak?"

At that point, Roy really was in no condition to answer.

"He knocked me up," Edward said.

"Fullmetal," Roy groaned, exasperated and in pain.

0o0o0o0o0

"You said you wanted a distraction," Envy said, sitting cross-legged on the fuhrer's secretary's desk. "I gave you a distraction. I call it a success."

"I wanted that damned colonel out of the picture, or at the very least, focusing on something else." The brunette glared at the youth on her desk. "You turned Central into a war zone. I could get nothing done. Worst of all, that colonel called Fullmetal back to Central, and he stopped following leads on the Philosopher's stone. How is that a success, Envy?"

"I had a good time." Envy began picking at his nails. "Besides, how was I to know that once I got the rebellion started, it would keep going all that time? Not my fault. Blame Pride. He should be able to lead his army. And, the colonel is going to be a bit absent-minded anyway. His precious lieutenant died." Envy pointed to his head before imitating a gun going off.

"You had better hope this doesn't drive him on, Envy. The philosopher's stone needs to be created."

"And our common relatives would make excellent ingredients."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

_He's Not a Vessel _

Ed could only guess what kind of reaction Izumi would have to his pregnancy. He had always been vaguely aware that she had wanted children and never been able to have them, but he could only guess what was behind that. For some time, she merely stared at him in shock as Sig sat with mouth open and Roy seemed to be preparing himself for another injury.

"Knocked you up?"

"Do you think on a normal day, I would eat chicken and rice topped with pickles?" He looked down at the man who was still on his knees in front of the sofa. "You okay?"

"Never better," Roy grunted, trying to stand as Ed slid over to make room beside him.

Izumi stood above them, looking down at the two alchemists, demanding answers. Ed managed to fill in most of the details, as Roy was still recovering. Izumi seemed to only stare for a moment, and Ed thought to himself that she looked sad, possibly even jealous.

"So you performed alchemy with no idea what the result would be?" It was obvious the dreadlocked alchemist wanted to hit Ed, to hit something, but merely kept her hands to her sides, arm locked, hands clenched in fists. "You are a damned fool, irresponsible… Ed, you have broken every rule of alchemy and lack every type of common sense. Have you even thought this out? Have you considered this at all? You are sixteen, Ed. There are sixteen-year-old girls who can't manage to deliver a baby." She paused. "There are grown women…" Ed tilted his head, seeing her eyes had grown glassy with unshed tears. "I am ashamed to have ever taught you what I know about alchemy."

"And you are a hypocrite," Roy said, still rubbing his back. "I noticed that you didn't have to draw a transmutation circle to rebuild my door. The only other person I know who can do that is Fullmetal, and we assumed it was because he had attempted human transmutation. I have also noticed a coughing fit you had that made you run to the nearest bathroom, coughing up blood. So tell me, what did you sacrifice while you were performing an act against God and alchemy?"

Izumi would not answer, but Sig was out of his seat and across the room in less time than Roy had to react. When that large butcher's fist made impact, Ed had to wince. It was rare for the larger man to react violently, but it was obvious that the colonel had hit a touchy spot as Sig's fist made contact with the colonel's eye. As Sig withdrew his hand for another strike, Ed pulled Roy down into his arms, cradling the dark head.

"Stop!" Sig halted himself mid-swing and looked down at the blonde. "He's only trying to defend me, though I don't know why. I'm more than capable of it." He tilted Roy's head upward to look at the eye, which was already growing puffy. "You need ice." Ed stood up, watching as Roy tried to stop him. "I'm fine now." He pushed Mustang's shoulder, shoving him back into the sofa. "You stay here, and Sig, don't hit him again." Ed didn't give any orders to Izumi, seeing that she was almost certainly going to follow him into the kitchen.

Together, they reached the kitchen, with Ed looking in Roy's icebox, but finding there was no actual ice in it. "Why are you doing this?"

Ed moved to the sink and ran some water in a metal bowl. "Because I needed to, and I can. You wouldn't do the same?"

Izumi wrapped her hand around her own stomach. "So this array made you capable of bearing children?"

"Yes." Ed turned off the water and looked back at his teacher, seeing the look on her face and the hand on her stomach. "Oh." He looked down at the bowl. "I am so sorry."

"Have you considered the risk?"

"More than I did when I got this," he said as he looked at his right automail hand. "I really have thought this out." He clapped his hands together and chilled the water until it turned into a solid chunk of ice. "I want to do this for her." Clapping his hands again, he transformed that metal hand into a spike. "For him." He began to stab at the chunk of ice he had created.

"What is he to you?"

Ed paused to determine how to answer, making him halt his work on the ice. "My commanding officer."

"I'm sure you have many dogs above you. Would you do the same for them?" Ed didn't answer, only continued pounding at the ice. "Would you?"

Ed stopped, bringing his hands together again, transforming the right hand back. "Where does he keep his towels?" Ed began looking through drawers, trying to remember where he'd seen Mustang get them before and ignore what Izumi was asking him now.

"Would you do it for any commanding officer?"

Ed put his hands on the countertop and hung his head. "If that commander had seen me at my lowest, having just lost my arm and leg. If that commander had offered me a chance to join the state alchemists and search for the Philosopher's Stone. If that commander kept an annoyingly watchful eye over me. If he allowed me to argue with him despite the fact that it would be considered insubordination, knowing my temper needed release…" Ed pulled open another drawer and removed a towel, flattening it on the table, scooping out some ice to place on the towel.

"Edward," Izumi said, approaching him, "I know better than anyone the risks and losses involved in pregnancy."

As Izumi began to tell Ed of how she transmuted her stillborn baby, he moved to her, putting a hand on her shoulder and another on his own stomach. When she had finished, he looked up into her brown eyes, which were already shedding tears, matching the ones in his own eyes.

"Teacher, I know that Mustang is overly blunt, and it had to feel very intrusive to have him realize what you had done, but that's just the way he is. I mean, he knows about me and Al, and he's never said anything. He's a good man, and you can trust him to know the truth. Just, well, don't hit him again."

0o0o0o0

When Fullmetal and his teacher re-entered the room, Roy's eye had already begun to swell shut, which meant it would look lovely when he went to work tomorrow. That didn't even take into account the pain at his back that would make sitting at a desk all day excruciating. With his good eye, Roy could see that both the teen and the Curtis woman had been crying, which explained what had taken so long getting the ice.

"Colonel, you were right that I had performed a human transmutation," Izumi began.

"You don't have to explain yourself to him," her husband interrupted as Ed made his way back to the sofa carrying a sopping wet towel and ice.

"Sig, he figured it out, and he has managed to keep Ed's secret so far." She proceeded to tell Roy her own tale of desperation. When she had finished, Roy could feel sympathy for her, but he heard something in her voice that made him concerned.

"Mrs. Curtis," he said, "I understand the sorrow you must have felt, so understand that before I say something which might very well get me injured again." He couldn't help his authoritative tone taking over. "You obviously want a child and have suffered a great deal, but do not look to Ed's array as an answer to your grief. It would be risky for you, and it would mean taking another's baby from them."

Izumi looked angry, but didn't strike, even holding up a hand to halt Sig, an unspoken sign that he had been right, much as he didn't want to be.

"Besides," Ed said, trying to ease the tension Roy had created, "you are as close to a mother as I've had in a long time. Would it be so wrong to be a surrogate grandmother? Or aunt, if it makes you feel younger?"

Roy looked over at Ed, feeling as though fire was burning through his veins. What right did Fullmetal have to decide who became his children's extended family? Ed caught the angry look in the colonel's eyes, but only smiled in response, obviously misinterpreting it.

"Of course, you have to stop hurting their father." Ed rubbed his abdomen, this time seeming to be aware he was doing so. Seeing him, Roy could not fight off the images of Riza this time and forced himself to stand.

"Colonel?" Ed said, automail grabbing Roy's sleeve.

"I need ice for my back," he said, coolly, as he pulled away from Ed's grip and walked into the kitchen. He found the bowl of ice Ed had made and scooped what he could into another towel. He heard footsteps behind him. "How many times are you planning to follow someone in here?" he asked, not looking back. Roy lowered the hand that held his ice to his eye and placed the towel on the counter.

"Do you hate Sig and I that much? Or is it something else?"

Roy unbuttoned his uniform coat, then slid his arms out of it, wincing. Once out of it, he placed it on a chair. "I don't know you, aside from the fact that you both pack a punch." He began unbuttoning the white shirt underneath.

"You reacted very coldly to Ed's suggestion that we be a part of those children's extended family. So, tell me, you military dog, is it us or is it his own part in your children's lives that is troubling you?" The woman's voice seemed to say that she knew the answer. Roy made no response, hissing as he removed the shirt and draped it over the chair with his coat. "Colonel, that boy in there is doing something damned incredible for you, something that is nothing short of miraculous." As Roy stood wearing only his white tank top, he felt the woman touch his arm. "You cannot treat him like a vessel."

Roy looked at her, brows knitted. "I'm not--"

"You protect him because he is carrying your children, but the moment he tries to lay any kind of claim on them, you turn frigid. He is not just a means to bear your children. He is a living, breathing, feeling human being, and you have to stop this behavior before he realizes its true meaning."

The Flame Alchemist stared at the woman, a bit dumbstruck, her words sinking in and unfortunately, ringing true.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

_**Names**_

Izumi and Sig hadn't been able to stay for very long and left only two days later. Al had decided to accompany them back to their home.

"I'm sorry, Brother," Al had said when he told Ed. "I know I have no right to be angry, and if I'd been in the same position, I might have done the same, but I really need to think things out."

Days had passed since then, and those words still stung. Al was angry at him, not for the loss of his body, but for willingly accepting something that could hinder their quest to restore it.

Ed was now beginning his second week of pregnancy, showing every sign of being three months along. The morning sickness, thankfully, had begun to ease up.

Unfortunately, the dizzy spells happened nearly every time Ed tried to stand too quickly, and almost always ended with him in the arms of his commander. It was humiliating to have to make the man care for him as though he was some weak girl, and the process of caring for Ed was obviously draining on the colonel, as his actions had all become ritualized.

Tonight, though, Ed had just finished a check-up with Dr. Knox and felt good enough to stop at the market. He felt better than he had in ages, and he now had news that he thought might lighten Mustang's mood a bit.

When Mustang arrived back at the house after work, Ed was standing in the kitchen, actually cooking. There weren't many things the teen could fix, but he had been determined to make sure that what meals he could prepare, he knew how to do well. In a pan, he was searing shrimp, while he mixed some vegetables and noodles in another. He wasn't quite sure if what he was fixing had a name. He only knew it usually tasted good when he was done.

"You're cooking," Roy said, shock registering on the side of his face that wasn't still somewhat swollen and a lovely shade of purple.

"I felt up to it today," Ed said, stirring the vegetables and noodles. "You've done this enough that I thought I would return the favor."

"Is it edible?"

While Ed stirred the shrimp with his left hand, he held up his right, the middle digit extended. "Sit down." Surprisingly enough, Roy obeyed as Ed brought the plate of vegetables and noodles to the table, dumping half, well a little less than half--he was still growing and was eating for two after all--on Mustang's plate, the rest on his own. He then topped it off with the shrimp and took his seat across from his commander, waiting a moment until the dark-haired man took his first tentative bite, following it with a satisfied smile.

"I can only cook about five meals, but I do them well," Ed said, smugly, as he began to eat. "I had another check-up with Dr. Knox today."

"Has he figured out the dizzy spells or how you are going to, um--"

"I'm 'going to, um' by having them cut out. No way in hell am I doing it any other way, but no. We have no idea for either." Ed poked around the plate for a moment. "But the doc said some of the tests let him know what the babies are." He looked up at Mustang, whose attention he'd obviously gotten. "It's a boy and a girl." He watched as Mustang's eyes darted down to his stomach and back to his face. "That should make naming them easier."

Then, it appeared again, that dark cloud that reared its head at least once a day, one that darkened the colonel's eyes and made Ed shift in his seat a little. "You've already decided on names?"

"You mean you don't want them to be Maes and Riza? Too painful?" The storm passed as quickly as it had come, much to Ed's relief. There were times when he saw that look on Roy's face, the icy cold demeanor would remain for hours afterward.

"No, those are perfect," Mustang said, pushing around a piece of shrimp. "We just hadn't talked about it." Ed didn't miss the look of guilt in Roy's eyes. He had to wonder what names the older alchemist thought were going to come out of his mouth. Still, Ed wasn't used to silence, as Al talked constantly unless he was angry, so he started chatting, asking Roy how his day had been, nearly kicking himself for seeming so domestic. In return, Mustang asked about the check-up. "Well, Dr. Knox said I will start to show soon, but it won't be _really_ noticeable for a little while. He told me a lot of the things to expect between the hormones and pregnancy. One was mood swings."

"You were born with those."

"Bite me, Colonel Bastard," Ed said. "Cravings, which started already. Sensitivity to smells and foods, which I noticed a little over the last few days. Speaking of which, could you switch your cologne? When you put it on in the mornings, it makes me want to puke."

"Lovely language for the dinner table."

Ed recalled the last portion of the doctor's list of things to be expected, and he began to blush, not that this was the first time he'd done it around Mustang. Hell, it was becoming a habit. It seemed like every time the two of them were together, at one point of another, Ed was fighting the urge to giggle and blush like a stupid girl. That was not right, and Ed knew it. Guys didn't giggle. They argued and teased. It was getting damned embarrassing.

"Increased sex drive?" Roy asked, eating quite casually as he did.

Across from him, Ed felt as though his face must have matched his coat. "Um, doc said that, too. How did you--"

"I read up on it." Unspoken were the words "after Riza told me." Ed had learned by now how the colonel's tone changed when her name remained unspoken. "A somewhat frightening thought, a teen-aged boy hornier than usual."

Ed wanted the floor to open up and swallow him. He begged for it to happen, but had no such luck. He was still sitting across from the smug bastard and still trying not to let him realize that this aspect of pregnancy, too, had already manifested itself eight times in the last three days.

Ed also decided that perhaps finishing this meal in silence wasn't such a bad thing.

0o0o0o0

When Roy woke that night to the sound of a blood-curdling scream, he sat up in bed and bolted to the source of that scream: the guest room, Ed's room. Roy burst through the door, finding Ed's face contorted in pain as he laid in a pool of blood that had soaked the blankets from his waist to his knees.

"Ed!" Roy shouted as he moved beside the teen, lifting the blond head in his hands. "What happened?" The screaming continued as Ed seemed to be too far gone to answer. Roy grabbed the telephone at the bedside table, calling Dr. Knox. How much of the message got through to the doctor, Roy wasn't sure, but it had been clear enough.

Ed was screaming in agony and needed help.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 **

_**I Was Afraid**_

The worst of the pain had subsided by the time Dr. Knox had arrived, and now, Ed was resting his back on Mustang, who sat behind him, a hand clasping each of the blonde's legs. He pulled them back as far as he could, the automail limb having to rest on Dr. Knox's shoulder more so than in Mustang's grip both due to weight and awkwardness.

The lower half of Ed's body was covered with a sheet for reasons of modesty the teen felt were long since lost. Part of Ed really wanted to know what the doctor was doing beneath the sheet, the rest quite grateful he didn't. He could feel the doctor's gloved fingers examining him, careful as he touched Ed's most sensitive areas. It wasn't until one prodding finger entered him that Ed's eyes grew wide and he shifted back onto the commander.

"What the hell was that?"

"The source of the bleeding, and apparently, the exit route for the twins."

"But that shouldn't be there. And I'm pretty damned sure you shouldn't be putting anything in it."

"Consider your options, Ed," Dr. Knox said, once again prodding the new opening, "either your body found a new pathway out or it utilized an existing one." Ed held his breath as he felt the doctor once again examining very gently. "It has already healed, and I might even dare to say with that work done, you could find your body will be a bit stronger again." Dr. Knox rose and Mustang released Ed's legs, moving his hands to the teen's shoulders, rubbing muscles, and even the area around the automail. Ed was shocked at how good it felt, even after all he'd just been through, just to have Mustang there.

0o0o0o0

After explaining that everything was still fine with both the alchemist and the babies, Dr. Knox showed himself out while Roy shifted behind Ed. "Fullmetal, we need to get you cleaned up." he looked down into the amber eyes below him. They looked absolutely exhausted.

"I don't have the energy to move."

Roy moved from behind Ed as he walked to the bathroom. The large clawfoot tub, identical to the one in the master suite, would take some time to fill, but the colonel realized it could take just as long to convince Fullmetal to let him do this. The sound of the running water was loud, loud enough that Roy felt safe releasing the worry and anxiety he had felt when he'd first heard Ed scream. Just a few hours before, he'd been angry at Ed for suggesting names for the babies, and the guilt was killing him. With all Ed was going through, how could Roy even question the young alchemist's right to be a parent to the twins?

"_You cannot treat him like a vessel."_

As Roy went through the motions of preparing the bath, checking the water, he realized his concern for Ed and his babies had been equal.

Roy stepped back into the bedroom, finding Ed very nearly asleep. "Edward," he said, putting a hand on the blond hair, "you need to get changed and cleaned up."

Ed made a motion of protest, but Roy, ignoring it, scooped the teen and sheet into his arms, silently wondering how much lighter he'd be without the ridiculously heavy limbs. As though reading the older man's mind, Fullmetal looked up and said, "They used to weigh more before Winry stream-lined them." Roy looked down in surprise. "You're grunting." To help distribute his own weight, Ed clung on to Roy with his arms.

"Can you get the automail wet?"

Ed nodded and added lazily, "Unlike some people, I'm not completely useless in the water."

Roy set Ed down, standing upright on the bathroom tile, but the weakness from the day was obvious as the legs started to buckle beneath him. "Let me help you." Roy offered Ed a shoulder while he helped Ed pull the blood-soaked tee-shirt off, but before it was over the teen's arms, Ed stopped, looking embarrassed. "Nothing I haven't seen before, Ed." Then, he realized it was not the nudity, but the automail that had Ed hesitating. "It won't bother me, Fullmetal. I've seen worse than automail." Like finding an eleven-year-old bandaged up at two limbs because they'd been alchemically sacrificed.

Ed let him remove the shirt and cautiously dropped the sheet.

Roy was aware of how exposed the teen had to be feeling at that moment, and did not say a word, working very hard to control any expression on his face. Still, he had to admit that he had not imagined the type of scarring he saw around the automail at his leg. The scars seemed to spread out like spider legs from the metal limb, spreading their way onto his stomach, groin, and hips. Still, Roy didn't find the scars repulsive, merely an unfortunate flaw on an otherwise flawless body. The muscle-tone, the strength that was packed into that small frame were obvious with a single glance.

Though Roy had a hard time keeping it to just a single glance.

"Let's get you into the bath."

Ed only nodded. Tomorrow, Roy thought, Fullmetal would probably regret all of this and turn that lovely shade of red, as he'd done so many times in the last few weeks. But tonight, he didn't fight, didn't argue, only moved toward the bathtub and struggled to lift the heavy automail and exhausted human limbs in. As Ed sank into the water, he hissed in pain.

"Do you want out?"

"No," the blonde said, flatly, the fatigue setting in, "it will be okay. It feels kind of like a cut in the water. It doesn't feel so bad now." Roy grabbed a washcloth from the sink and dipped it in the bathwater. "I can wash myself. I'm not that far gone."

"I'll get your back. You can do the rest." Carefully, Roy began to rub the cloth over the teen's shoulders and back in small circles, not wanting to cause even the slightest discomfort while he worked to get the blood off. Using his left arm to support Ed's weight, his right hand dipped below the water's surface to get the small of Ed's back, noting the water had gained a slight pink tinge. He could feel the blonde going slack in his arms, and when he placed Fullmetal back against the rear of the tub, he could see the slow and steady rising and falling of the scarred chest. He had fallen asleep.

Unsure if he could bathe the teen without waking him, Roy made the attempt, ringing the cloth out until it was only slightly damp in order to wipe the sweat from the young face. Dipping it back in the water, he moved in small circles again over a chest that appeared to be growing in ways that would undoubtedly displease the young alchemist. Roy ran the cloth down each arm, watching as goosebumps appeared on the left as the water dried. He moved lower, over the abs, pausing a moment to see if he could feel the tiny babies inside. He couldn't yet and really had known he wouldn't. He moved down the right leg, then the left, trying not to get the washcloth caught as he cleaned the blood from each crevice in the metal.

He stopped. He was merely giving the exhausted teen a bath, but there was still a tiny part of him that said proceeding might be wrong. There were so many legal implications, but first on his mind was the fact that the only place left was the place that had been the source of the screaming and that Roy's cleaning there might further hurt Ed. It was also the one place where some of the blood continued to cling. Gently, he ran the cloth over the blonde curls, over the teen's most private areas, cleaning every inch as lightly and quickly as he could, afraid of what Ed might do if he thought he was lingering down there.

Careful that Fullmetal didn't sink below the water in his relaxed state, Roy left him for a moment to grab a glass he kept on the sink top. He moved back behind the blonde, pulling out the black band that held Ed's blood-matted hair in place. His nimble fingers began combing through the braid, straightening the hair behind the tub before gathering it and laying it over the automail shoulder. Once again, he lifted the teen up with one arm, taking the glass and filling it with water, carefully running the water in small rivers down the long blond hair. Feeling the hair was thoroughly wet, he grabbed a container of shampoo and lathered it into Fullmetal's scalp, moving down into the long, soft hair. He repeated the process with the glass until every sud was gone.

Roy stood, considering how exactly he was going to get the incredibly heavy teen from the water. Deciding to use the most traditional way he could think of, praying he didn't throw out his back, he removed his blood-and-water-covered pajama shirt, then picked the teen up, bridal style, wishing the distance between his own room and the guest suite were closer. Not only was Ed ridiculously weighty, but the chill of being carried naked, save for a towel Roy had managed to pull off the door and over the top of Ed with his teeth, was obvious as each hair on the young body was standing on end.

Somehow, his own determination to get Fullmetal to a warm bed as fast as he could pushed him onward. He nudged the door to his room open further with his foot as he carried the teen inside, moving toward the bed, and depositing him where Roy, himself, had been three hours before.

Trying not to think about his aching muscles, Roy opened the closet, finding a nightshirt Hughes had given him once as a gag. Roy had never worn it, insisting that nightgowns were for women only. He only hoped Ed didn't feel as adamantly as he had. He walked back over, pulling the shirt over the blond head, moving each arm into a sleeve then carefully tugging the shirt to cover almost all of Ed's body. He looked like a kid wearing the thing.

Roy proceeded to change his own clothes, then clean up the mess in the guestroom, let the water out of the tub, and put all of the bloody clothes in the laundry.

He poked his head back into his bedroom, to make sure that Ed was still okay.

"Mustang," he heard come from the bed. "How did I get in here?"

"How do you think, Fullmetal?"

"Oh." Roy could just imagine the brilliant shade of red the teen's face must have been at that moment. "So, everything's okay?"

"Everything's fine. I've even got everything in the guest room cleaned up." He sat at the foot of the bed. "Now go to sleep." Roy's eyes were still beginning to adjust to the light, but he could see the outline of Ed, his shoulders shaking. "Ed?"

"It's just…" Ed's voice was cracking. "I thought I'd lost the babies. All that blood, and so much pain. I thought they were gone."

Roy slid up in the bed beside Ed, wrapping his arms around the teen. "I was afraid too." Roy held the blond close to his chest. "I was afraid I'd lost all three of you. But you're okay, and Dr. Knox has examined you and says the babies are okay."

Roy could feel Ed's tears soaking his tee-shirt, as he struggled to hold his own off. After a long night, the two fell asleep in one another's arms, Roy protectively engulfing the smaller alchemist with his body as they slept.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

_**Interesting**_

Roy awoke to the sound of pounding at his door. Realizing that he had essentially entwined himself around the blond, it became his turn to blush. Trying not to jar Fullmetal as he pulled his arms and legs from around him, Roy slipped out of the bed and padded his way out the stairs and down to the front door. He could hear barking outside. Damn it, Havoc was at his doorstep with Black Hayate.

Running a hand through his raven hair, Roy opened the door to face the lieutenant. "Why are you bringing him today?"

"Thought I'd drop him off before work. Let him destroy your house while you're at the office for once." Havoc held a cigarette in his lips and looked the colonel over. "You look like shit, Colonel."

"Thanks, Lieutenant." Havoc let go of the dog, who bounded off, up the stairs. "I had a rough night. I'm calling in sick today."

"Well, then it's good I brought Black Hayate today. You'll be able to take care of him while you're home not working like the rest of us."

Roy rolled his eyes as a voice bellowed from upstairs, "Damn it, even the dog is getting bigger than me."

"You got somebody here?" Havoc asked, putting out the cigarette on the doorstep before entering, knowing that with it still in his mouth, he would never have been allowed past the threshold. "Who is she?"

"Who you calling a she, Havoc?" Ed asked, strolling through the hall, Black Hayate hopping around him. It was obvious that Ed just woke up, his eyes still a bit puffy from sleep, his hair loose and falling over his shoulders, and the nightshirt looking ridiculously huge on his body.

Roy watched as Havoc's eyes grew wide. "Boss? Colonel? What the hell is going on?"

"I've been staying here while I get over whatever the hell it was I caught out on the battlefield. I get dizzy pretty often, and Colonel Bastard here wouldn't let me stay at the dorms by myself."

"Where's Al?" Havoc asked as Ed patted the large, very happy dog on the head.

"He went to visit our old teacher. I'm not really up to going, and he," He gestured to Mustang. "didn't think I could take care of myself."

"Isn't that the nightshirt Hughes gave you?" Havoc asked.

Ed looked down at the striped thing that covered him like a tent. "Is that where this came from?" Ed's eyes quickly flashed up at Roy, glassing over with tears, then looking back down, apparently not wanting to cry in front of the lieutenant. "I got sick last night. Ruined my pajamas."

"He's felt pretty bad. Trust me, I know. His medicine is given by injection and he does it without even flinching."

Havoc smiled, seeming to have believed there was nothing behind any of this. He moved out to the kitchen and began exploring Roy's cupboards, opening each one. When Havoc would come across a bottle of liquor, he would pull it out and examine it carefully.

"What's he doing?" Ed asked Roy.

"He would be trying to figure out if I'm drinking myself into oblivion."

"You haven't had anything to drink since I've been here," Fullmetal said, walking stiffly beside Roy.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. Still hurts a little." Roy rubbed his hand down the teen's back beneath the curtain of blond hair as Havoc pulled out a bottle of scotch, examining it carefully. "Aside from that, it's barely noticeable." He whispered, "At least I don't have to pee sitting down."

"Were you afraid of that?"

Ed wobbled his hand to signal "somewhat."

"Well, Lieutenant," Roy said, "are you satisfied?"

Havoc nodded as he moved toward Ed. "Is what you have contagious, Boss?" He looked up at Mustang, who was sure he looked like the crap Havoc had told him he did.

"Not according to Dr. Knox." Ed said as Black Hayate moved under his hands, obviously wanting scratched again.

"Ed, I don't think he's going to leave you alone. Why don't you go ahead into the study? I'll see if I can find something for breakfast." Ed nodded and went to the study, probably to the soft leather sofa he'd become so fond of over the last two weeks.

"So, you've been playing nursemaid to the Major?" Havoc shook his head as he moved to the door. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"I wouldn't be so nice to him if he wasn't considerably less obnoxious when he's sick." Roy smiled good-naturedly. "It could be a while before he's feeling like himself. Lucky us." Havoc laughed as he opened the door and left the house.

Roy went back to the kitchen and began making oatmeal for the teen and himself, occasionally stirring the thickening substance on the stove, trying to guess what the heck the teen would want on his hot cereal, which could be anything from bananas to black olives.

"Fullmetal," Roy asked, sticking his head in the study, seeing the blond, the nightshirt pulling down on his left side, hair twisted and thrown over his right shoulder. Black Hayate had two rather large paws on the sofa and was proceeding to lick every square inch of Ed's face. Protesting the dog's actions didn't work, but Ed seemed to have found a sweet spot on the dog's head, scratching behind the dog's ear, making its eyes glaze over in pleasure. "Ed?" Gold eyes looked up at Roy. "What would you like on your oatmeal?"

"Bananas and some sugar. I feel like eating normal this morning."

Roy disappeared into the kitchen, preparing Ed's cereal, then fixing his own with milk and brown sugar. Roy returned to the study, finding Black Hayate curled up in a ball below the foot of the sofa, looking quite at home. Ed took the bowl from Roy, but immediately set it on the nearby table. "I want to show you something. I don't know how well you can see it through the nightshirt, but since it's the only clothing I've got on, it isn't coming off." Ed smoothed the shirt over his stomach, revealing a tiny bulge in his lower abdomen.

"Is that…?"

"According to what doc told me to expect, and what I've read, mostly fluids and the parts I've been growing, but somewhere Maes and Riza are in there, about the size of those banana slices." Ed's hand trailed over the tiny lump. "Guess now that all of the parts are there, this started to show."

Roy stood still for a moment, looking down at the teen's stomach. "Can I--" Roy held out his hand, almost retracting it before Ed grabbed hold of it, pulling both hand and man down toward him. His hand pushed to the bump, Roy could feel something about the size of a grapefruit beneath the warm fabric. "Does it feel strange to you?" Roy asked, unable to pull his hand away from the growing miracles beneath it. "That being there?"

"Mustang, nothing has felt normal for two weeks." Ed shifted. "Our breakfast is getting cold." Fullmetal pulled his legs up toward his body, a signal for Roy to sit beside him. "Dr. Knox wants to see me today. Since you're calling in sick, do you want to come along?" Ed shoveled the cooling oatmeal into his mouth.

"I'd really like that."

After breakfast, Ed and Mustang had both gone back to their respective beds to rest for a few hours before Ed went to Dr. Knox. After a few hours of restful sleep, and numerous trips to the bathroom, Ed awoke to the smell of food from downstairs.

"Well," he said, patting the new bulge on his lower abdomen, "if I had to have someone's babies, at least it's someone who can cook."

Ed went to the closet, looking for anything that would fit over his wide hips and wouldn't add to the easing discomfort between his legs. He noticed sitting on a chair were a pair of black cotton pants and a green sweater. Ed looked them over, deciding they had to be Mustang's, though the colonel had obviously cut off the bottom of the pants and hastily hemmed them.

"Well, at least he can cook," Ed said as he pulled on a pair of boxers then the soft and comfortable pants. He pulled the sweater over his head, then rolled up the sleeves, so his hands could at least peak out.

Ed was about to head downstairs when he heard the phone ring. It was noon, and that meant it was Al calling again. Roy wouldn't answer, knowing the younger Elric always called at noon to check in on Ed, but still the blond found himself rushing to the phone on the beside table.

"Hello, Al?" Ed said as he grabbed the receiver.

"Brother, how are you?"

"I had a rough night last night. Remember how doc said he wasn't sure how things would come out? Well, we found out last night. There was a lot of blood."

"Blood? Brother, are you okay? Do you need me there?"

"I'm feeling better today," Ed said. He wasn't going to tell his little brother he needed him there. In truth, it was more that he wanted him there than needed him. "Dr. Knox is checking me up this afternoon just to make sure." Ed hated having to be so vague, but there was no determining if the line was secure. "How are things with Teacher?"

"Interesting." Ed didn't have to be overly perceptive to know how loaded that single word was. "Teacher has another guest here. I'd like for you to meet him." Ed wanted to ask for more information as he heard a rap on the door.

"Edo, when you're done on the phone, Lunch is ready."

"Colonel, come in, and don't call me Edo." Roy opened the door and looked at Ed. "I won't be on for long, but Al said things are _interesting_ with teacher."

Mustang nodded, understanding.

"Tell Al, I'd like to talk to him…" The colonel was thinking, calculating. "Thursday, call my office." Ed nodded, knowing Mustang's office had a secure line.

"Did you get that, Al?"

"I got it. I'll call here again tomorrow, just to check up on you. Let me know what Dr. Knox says."

"I will, Al. Be good ."

"Of course, big brother."

Ed hung up the phone, wishing tomorrow was Thursday. He went downstairs, where Mustang already had food prepared along with an array of unusual condiments.

"Sorry I can't get you to talk to your brother right away," the older alchemist said. "I'll need the wire tapping equipment to listen in and make sure no one else is, and that's the soonest I can guarantee it." Roy sat at the table across from Ed's seat. "So, did the pants fit?"

"They'll work, but you can't sew worth crap." Ed looked down and saw a pillow on his chair. "What's this for?"

"Aside from letting a shrimp like you see over the table?" Ed scowled. "I thought the hard, wood chair would be uncomfortable.

"You are creepily thoughtful, you know that?" Ed began to tear up.

"Ed, what is it"

"Damned hormones!" Ed said, sobbing. "You got me clothes, a pillow for the chair, and you are arranging so I can talk to Al. You're being so nice, it's making me cry like a baby." Ed wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeve. "I'm one hell of a mess." Ed slumped down in the chair, putting his head in his hands, crying uncontrollably. "This isn't fair." Ed could hear movement from the other side of the table. He felt a hand stroking his still unbraided hair. Roy was being so kind, so understanding, so accommodating. It only made Ed cry harder. "Shit!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_**Parting**_

By Thursday, Ed was feeling more like himself, mood swings not included. He had even convinced Roy to spar with him, not that the Flame Alchemist was very good at it, though he had been extremely cautious not to injure the teen and not to hit him in the stomach. Roy had been reluctant, but between having a usually active teen growing antsy with lack of activity and said teen constantly prodding him into the spar, it hadn't taken long to get him into the courtyard going one on one with Ed. After all, Ed was right in pointing out that not all enemies will be using guns or alchemy, and for someone who's useless in water, a little hand-to-hand experience isn't such a bad idea.

As Ed walked through the halls of Central that Thursday, he felt like everyone was looking at him. Roy had joked he was beginning to "glow," even though Ed himself thought that was absolute crap. Still, he was putting on weight and had grown a small chest that, he repeatedly though to himself, could stop growing any time soon. And everyone seemed to notice he was not wearing his usual clothes.

"Hey, Boss," Havoc said as Ed stood outside of Roy's office. "Feeling better?"

"A little. Doctor Knox still says no over-exerting myself." Ed folded his arms, biting his lip as he brushed the sensitive breasts beneath the sweater. "So, of course, Colonel Bastard decided I could start working on research and paperwork."

"So, are you going to stay at the colonel's after we all get shipped out?"

"What?"

"Just found out today. Fuhrer Bradley has all of us in Mustang's unit headed south to flush out Scar."

Ed could feel his heart sinking to his feet. "He's going?" Ed began find it hard to breathe.

"We all are." Havoc looked at Ed strangely. "Boss, you all right?" Ed nodded, a simple bob of his head. He turned and knocked on the door. "You sure? You kind of went gray all of a sudden."

Ed heard Roy tell him to come in as he opened the door, he turned to Havoc. "I'm fine, really." Shutting the door behind him, Ed stormed up to Mustang's desk. "You are going south to fight Scar?"

Mustang turned in his chair, a sort of headset on his ears. "I just found out a few hours ago."

"And what am I supposed to do? Al's off with whatever the hell 'interesting' thing is going on in Dublith. You're headed south to fight a man who hates state alchemists, you probably more than most because you fought in Ishbal."

"I did more than fight, Ed," Roy said, eyes looking down at the equipment as though trying to find where to plug in the headset.

"Colonel?"

"In Ishbal, alchemists were weapons." Roy began hooking up the equipment on his desk. "Some of us were even made to enhance our powers."

"You don't want to fight them again."

"I never wanted to the first time, but I've always been an obedient dog of the military."

Ed sat on the colonel's mahogany desk beside the telephone. "Roy?"

The use of his name seemed to get the colonel's attention. "You've seen what the red stone can do for alchemic powers."

Ed leaned forward and rubbed Roy's arm. It was the least he could do for the man who always seemed to scoop him up when he turned into a puddle of tears. "They gave you a red stone? No wonder you try to drink yourself to death. Numbers and death tolls can go from dozens--"

"To hundreds. Especially when you can light up an entire city block like that." Roy snapped, sending a small spark and quickly diminished flame over his gloved hand.

Then, the telephone rang. Roy composed himself and signaled Ed to answer.

"Hello?"

"Ed?" Al's voice said, echoing doubly between the armor and Roy's device on the line.

"We're okay, Al. Roy's got the line tapped so he can listen for any signs of someone dropping in on our call. What was so interesting?"

"First you, Ed. How are the babies?"

"Healthy," Ed said, irritated Al wouldn't answer.

"And the bleeding?"

"To complete a path out for the twins." Ed didn't add that Dr. Knox felt the only way that path would heal would be if it had served its purpose. That thought made him blush, remembering how the doctor had instructed him that it wasn't quite designed like the real thing and that he should not try to use the mock vagina for anything but delivering the babies. As though Ed had any intention of ever doing that. And worst of all, Roy had been there, his hand in Ed's holding back a bemused grin while Ed wished once again for the floor to engulf him.

"Are you okay, brother?"

"Feeling more like myself, well physically. Emotionally, I'm a wreck, but big surprise."

"That isn't really a new development."

"Tease all you want, because if I come and visit, I'm transmuting you into a tin can." Ed sighed. "Now, tell me about the guest."

"When I was helping Teacher load up some things from Yock Island--she was planning on stranding us there again--a boy came out of the woods. He doesn't remember anything about who he is, but he has an ourobouros on his right foot."

"A homunculus?"

"Teacher seems to know him. And, Ed, this is the part I don't want you to get really upset about, even though I know you will. His left leg and right arm don't match, well, they match one another, but not him." Ed could see Roy looking up at him, wide-eyed.

"Mine."

"I'm pretty sure. He's got a scar on the right arm where you used to." Ed began rubbing his throbbing head with his left hand "Brother?"

"Still here, Al."

"You need to talk to him, or to Izumi. Something isn't quite right, and she is still treating me like a kid."

"Roy has to go south with the military. I was thinking of either visiting you there or taking a trip to Risembool." Though, it would have been just Edward and Pinako in Risembool, since Winry was off studying how to improve her mechanic skills. "I'll be there in a few days. Okay, Al?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next morning at the train station, a few of the soldiers from Mustang's unit noticed the teary goodbye Fullmetal gave his commander at the depot before the colonel took a military train south and the major took a civilian one in the same direction an hour later.

The two alchemists only shook hands, but some expert lip readers, or who at least thought they were, said Fullmetal told the colonel to "Come back in one piece."

The colonel replied, "And you take care of them. And yourself."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 **

_**How Long**_

Ed sat on the train in his sleeper, trying to gather the pieces that were left of his pride. He was such a moron for crying like that. It was bad enough that the colonel had to see it, but to know that all the soldiers had seen him blubbering like that was absolutely humiliating. He knew he would never hear the end of it, even if it was mistaken as continued grieving for Hawkeye, which he still did in quiet moments alone.

Ed was in a private sleeper, something he received thanks to some strings pulled on Mustang's part. If anyone had told Ed the dark-haired man was capable of such acts of consideration and kindness, the teen would likely have laughed in their face. Of course, if anyone would have told him he'd be thinking about the colonel when he was soon to come face-to-face with someone using his arm and leg, he would have told them it was absolute bullshit.

Trying to regain some focus, Ed grabbed the newspaper he'd bought at the depot, skimming through articles on war, the fuhrer's latest party, a night of remembrance of the anniversary of Isabel. Ed flipped the entertainment page, reading over the latest movies to hit the big screen, when he heard the newlyweds in the sleeper beside him. He'd been on the train for a day now and hated the couple beside him, though he'd never seen their faces.

As he'd resigned himself to for the last 26 hours, he merely moved to his bed, his own cock gaining some life just knowing what was about to happen. He heard the moaning and pulled his pants down to his ankles, not even bothering to take off his shoes. With his right hand, he reached under his pillows, finding the lotion he decided just to keep on the bed after their fist go, an hour into the train ride.

"Mmm…" a rich baritone that bordered on bass said through the wall. "So good."

As Ed squirted a small amount of lotion on his left hand, he cursed the husband on the other side for being the damned noisy one. He deposited the lotion back under the pillow, keeping the automail arm there. The two going at it like rabbits kicked off the newfound horny streak in the teen, and he was going to be chafed enough without bringing the metal hand into play.

"Oh, more, more," the baritone moaned as Ed began to move his hand, trying to just get the deed done and out of his system without bringing fantasy into it. When it was practiced and methodical, he got off, mostly satisfied, and could do so quietly. The moment his mind took over, the silence he'd relied on with Al constantly in the room awake, disappeared. When his brain got involved, he started moaning and writhing like a cheap whore.

Unfortunately for Ed, he'd already denied his imagination's participation twice that day, and it wasn't about to stay ringside for another performance. It was forming a picture in his head, whether he liked it or not, and the man on the other side of the wall only fueled it on.

"You look so hot like that. You are gorgeous. Do you know that?" Ed shook his head, biting his lower lip. "I want to feel you around me. I want to hear you scream my name." Ed's hand moved faster. "Do you want me?"

Ed released a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.

"Do you want me in you right now?"

Ed nodded, moving his hips off the bed, as though someone was laying between the splayed limbs. The man began to moan, his low voice rumbling through the wall. Why couldn't he have been an overly deep bass or have a high tenor tone? Why that smooth, low but not incredibly low voice saying such awfully bad things to try and get his wife in the mood, nearly spoiling his own?

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Ed whispered, eyes shut, his right hand grasping at the pillow behind him as the left continued his work. He could hear the woman's gasp as her husband entered her, but for the most part, Ed ignored it.

"Still so tight." There was a moan. "So good." Then the grunting began, steady with the squeaking of the springs on the other side of the wall. Ed moved his hand and hips in time with each thrusting grunt. "Oh God, oh God, oh God."

Ed's face flushed a deep crimson as sweat poured down his forehead. His own completion came a few moments after as the right hand pulled his pillow from beneath his head, then held it over his face muffling the scream of the name he wanted no one to hear whose image, combined with the voice, had fueled his lust.

Thankfully for Ed, the man in the other room never lasted too long, working perfectly for his own purposes, as the teen was usually hot and ready, though it did cross the mind that this incredible speed could be the reason the woman was never as vocal as her husband.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In a train an hour ahead of Ed's, Mustang sat, rereading a stack of papers that under normal circumstances would have made perfect sense. Today, though, no strategy, no plan seemed to complete itself in his mind. He knew he needed to focus, or it would mean the lives of his men, but try as he might, his mind was elsewhere, an hour back on a train very near a stop at a depot in Duluth. His mind was with his children and with the blond alchemist.

He felt a rather large thump as Breda sat down beside him. "Having trouble focusing, Colonel?"

"I'm just trying to find the right strategy for finding Scar without a lot of bloodshed. It's been enough years since Ishbal. I won't have another one."

Then, Mustang heard a small explosion from the hall, and a stream of curses from outside.

"Breda, what did you do?"

"Do you know, Falman is a fairly young-looking guy? Just thought I'd take care of that gray hair for him." Mustang rubbed his brows. He heard a few doors open before his own cabin did, with a furious Falman poking a soot-covered head through his door.

"Is that son of a-- There you are!" Breda got a look at Falman and began laughing hysterically. "You think this is funny?"

"I think it is very funny."

"Warrant Officer, Falman, you are making a mess." Roy took his most serious tone.

"It isn't my fault. Blame Breda."

"I do blame Breda, but he is not the one making a sooty mess of my cabin." Mustang had been staring at the papers for so long, he actually resorted to pulling out the pair of reading glasses he kept for when his eyes got exceptionally tired. Putting on the frameless glasses, he looked over the paperwork again.

"Colonel, are you okay?" Falman said, not stepping entirely into the cabin.

"I'm fine."

Breda laced his fingers as he rested his elbows on his knees. "If you need to talk to anyone, you know you've got a lot of friends here?" Mustang nodded as he continued to flip through the papers. "We all miss her, and if you need to talk, we're here, you know." Again Mustang nodded, turning to Breda and Falman, lowering the spectacles.

"I've just had a lot in my mind lately." He looked out the window for a moment at the passing scenery.

Riza. How long had it been since he'd thought of her? An entire day? Two?

When Ed stepped off of the train, he could easily spot the giant suit of armor standing amidst the crowd. Hauling a suitcase beside him, Ed stepped onto the platform and walked toward his brother, an unconscious smile spreading across his face.

"Ed!" Al said, waving to get his older brother's attention, as though he didn't already have it.

When Ed reached the armor, he noticed his little brother backing away. "You aren't really going to transmute me into a tin can, are you?"

"Of course not." Al grabbed the suitcase from Ed's hand. "Come on, we need to get to Teacher's." Al looked down at Ed. "Oh, I should have gotten someone to drive us there."

Ed put his hands in pockets of his tan corduroy pants. "I'm not that far gone, Al. I can manage the walk."

"First of all, Ed, I want you to know that I'm not mad at you. I'm going to be really happy to be an uncle, and I knew I was being an idiot about the time I was sitting on the train. I'm so sorry."

"I know. If you were still that upset about this, you wouldn't have called me every single day." He fiddled with the watch in his pocket, a brief moment thinking of the man who had first presented it to him.

"Brother, I didn't tell you everything over the phone. I was afraid Colonel Mustang wouldn't let you go if he thought things might be too dangerous." Ed said nothing, but looked up at his brother with curiosity. "The child, the boy, he has a similar ability to you." With suitcase still in hand, he made a gesture to clap his hands together. "He doesn't have to clap his hands like you, but no circle, and he doesn't use other objects. He changes himself."

It was vague enough that no one around them could have probably guessed what they were talking about, but Ed knew well enough. The rest of the walk, they talked about meaningless things, the weather, their health. "Ed, when you see him, what are you going to do? If those really are your arm and leg…"

"I've had time to think about that since your call on Thursday." Almost against his will, the all-to-familiar blush came to his face. "Among other things." Ed cleared his throat as they stood at the door to his teacher's house. "I can't very well rip them off of the boy, can I? And there is something I need to confirm when I see him, something I remember from beyond the gate." Ed rubbed his left arm. "I don't know it it's been the food I've been eating or if it's them." He looked down at his stomach. "But I've been having a number strange dreams lately, and I'm sure they're from the gate."

Ed knocked on the door, finding Sig opening it. He greeted Ed warmly, and stepped aside, revealing Izumi sitting on the kitchen chair, a young boy on her lap, curled up very possessively. The boy turned around, wary blue eyes boring into Ed's.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 **

_**The Child **_

Ed looked at the child, trying to decide which of his instincts he should go with: own natural inclination that said he should start yelling, interrogating, demanding answers of the little non-human or those of the evil monster estrogen, which said he should try to comfort the child, knowing that if the boy could trust him, he could get answers without a battle. His own instinct sounded far more natural and more satisfying, but the second option presented by those implanted hormones seemed far less dangerous to the two lives he carried.

"He doesn't like me very much," Al said, quietly. "I think I've questioned him too much. He doesn't seem too fond of Mr. Curtis or Mason either."

"So he doesn't like men?" Ed began sliding his hands out of the orange sweater. "I think I'm about to confuse the hell out of the boy." He looked to his brother and the two adults in the room. "Word of this reaches anyone, I will kill each and every one of you. I don't care if you all can beat me in a normal fight, if you breathe a word of this, I swear to you I will manage to hurt all of you." Ed pulled the sweater over his head, revealing the tight brown tank top that left nothing to the imagination. Ed had resorted to wearing these, rather than breaking down and buying bras for the trip, not wanting to admit that he needed one, no matter how small the undergarment might be.

Ed tried to ignore the looks of surprise on the two adults' faces, and he could feel the heat on the back of his neck as Al watched Ed closely. Making no scene, the young state alchemist merely sat down at the table across from Izumi and the boy. Ed looked at the table in front of him, seeing the numerous empty plates.

"He has quite an appetite," Sig explained. "I put aside some food for you before he got to it." Sig set a plate in front of Ed, who never took his eyes off of the boy, who never took _his_ eyes off of Ed's food.

"Are you still hungry, kid?" Ed asked. "There's more here than I can eat." That was only half true, but if he had to, Ed would go to the local tavern and round up some other food if he grew hungry later. He began to scrape off some of the ham and potatoes then slid it across the table to the boy.

"Ed, you shouldn't have done that. You can't believe how much he's already eaten," Al said. "You should have given it to Teacher or Mr. Curtis. They hardly got anything because of him."

"He's just a boy," Ed said, looking up at Al trying to let his younger brother know that though he would be chastising him, he didn't really mean it. "If everyone tried to stop me when my appetite got the best of me, I'd have never gotten to be full. Besides, there's more than enough here."

Ed shared a forced smile with the black-haired boy, both obviously unsure of one another. Still, he would spend the rest of the dinner trying to talk to the child as though he were Elysia or Nina instead of the person who had received the limbs he'd been struggling to recover for all this time. They chatted about a number of things and actually allowed the boy to ask questions of him and never vice versa.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Roy had reached the temporary headquarters in the South late, just as he had expected he would. Before the briefing, he knew he had time for a quick call, and almost immediately was on the phone, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Hello," the person on the other end said, voice quiet and less than recognizable. Still, Roy knew who it was.

"Hey, cutie."

"'Cutie?' What kind of a name is that?"

"You don't like that for a pet name? I have hundreds on stock. Babe, darling, sweetheart…"

"Just drop it, snookums."

Roy smiled even though he knew the person on the other end of the line couldn't see it. "So how are you, Hon?"

"Fine, I'm a little tired, but mostly because I didn't get a lot of sleep."

"And is your extended family doing well?"

"Well enough. I still haven't gotten to talk to the little guy."

"When are you going to do that?"

"Probably after I hang up."

"But the little ones, they are okay?"

"Doing fine."

"I hated having breakfast alone this morning, Sweetie," Roy said, realizing how much his voice sounded like he meant it.

"Same here, Colonel Hot Stuff," the voice said, killing whatever mood might have been created.

"I will see you when I get home?" Roy asked, almost hopeful.

"We'll be waiting for you." Roy hung up the phone, wishing the call could have been longer, wishing he could have just talked to the young alchemist and asked him all the questions on his mind.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ed hung up the phone in Dublith. Had Roy actually said that he missed him, actually sounding like he really did? He knew Izumi and Sig were already fast asleep, but he couldn't help feeling eyes on him. Sheepishly, Ed turned around and faced his brother.

"What?"

"What was that about?"

"I told you that Colonel Mustang was going to pretend he was calling a girlfriend to check up on me."

"Yes, but you blushed. Brother, you don't blush."

"I don't have random crying fits, either," Ed answered harshly, "or temper tantrums… okay, I'll give you the tantrums. But a lot of things have been different lately, Al." Ed looked to the phone on its receiver, then placed his hands in his pockets, suddenly feeling very fidgety. "I need to talk to the boy, and I'm probably going to have to do it alone. If you hear anything inside, come in and help me."

"Brother, you are actually asking for my help?"

Ed rubbed his stomach. "For them, not for me." Ed opened Izumi's alchemic seal on the door, opened the door, then sealed it behind him. "Hello?" he asked as he looked around the seemingly empty room. "Hey, kid?"

That was when Ed heard a noise from the ceiling. He looked and found the boy swinging from the rafter.

"You're not dead like the rest."

"Dead?"

"Everyone else dies at night and comes back after the sun comes up."

"You mean sleep."

"Is there a difference?"

"Sleep means you are refreshing your body for the next day and will wake up because your heart's still beating and you're still breathing. Dead means that even if your body is still there, there is no way of waking back up. You're gone."

"I don't sleep." Ed thought to himself that, as a homunculus, the child didn't die either.

"That's because you're special, like my brother. He doesn't sleep either." Ed fought a shudder at his own words, comparing his brother to a homunculus. How far would he go to be nice, to get answers?

The boy continued to swing above Ed's head, as though he really hadn't heard the alchemist. "I want to play."

"Can I show you a game?" The boy nodded his head. "To play it, you have to come down here."

With a thud, the strange child dropped to the ground in front of Ed. "Hold your hands out like this." Ed held his palms face down. The boy did as instructed. Ed then placed his hands under the boy's, palm facing palm. It felt odd to know that for the first time since the incident, Ed's hands were touching again. Yet the right hand attached to the boy felt cold and alien.

"Does your brother ask you a lot of questions about your hands?" Ed raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Yours don't match, just like mine, and he asks a lot of questions about mine."

Ed told the boy that Al doesn't ask questions because he already knows how he lost his limbs, then proceeded to explain to the child how to play red hands, having trouble convincing him that Ed wouldn't hurt him if he hit him. They played for some time, the boy seeming to enjoy himself and Ed forgetting for a moment the reason he had initiated the game.

"Do you think it's strange that my left hand and your right hand match?" Ed asked. The boy almost instantly withdrew from him, holding onto his right arm protectively. "I'm not going to do anything to you. I gave that arm up willingly. I just didn't know someone would be using it when I was trying to get it back."

"It's yours?"

"Yes. It's mine. I'm sure it is."

Unexpectedly, the boy began to try to corner Ed. "Yours," he said darkly. "How?"

"When I went through the Gate," Ed said, not allowing him to be backed against a wall or a piece of furniture. Pregnant or not, he was still capable of putting up a fight if he needed to.

"Don't say that word!"

"When I was on the other side, my left leg was taken. Then, to get my brother back, I gave up my right arm. Somehow, you got them."

"They are different," the boy said, anger in his voice. "They made me feel different. Different from you and from mother." With those words, Ed watched the boy transform the right arm, Ed's own arm, into something not entirely human, resembling the hand of a statue, large and stone-like. "I don't like it."

Ed cursed his own agility as the child seemed to match him move for move around the room, thanks in part to his own leg. The fist, without mercy, slammed into the bed, cracking the wood. Ed dodged, grateful that he was only three months along and not yet weighed down. The hand then made contact with the wall, cracking the plaster outwardly like a spiderweb. Ed had managed to transform his automail arm into a sharp point for his own protection, but he was leery of harming the boy, of seeing what pain would do for this already volatile temper. The boy began moving unnaturally from the rafters, more like animal than human, and too late, Ed realized that the homunculus above him had gotten him exactly where he needed him, against a wall with nowhere to go. Quickly as he could, Ed tried to transmute a wall, a barricade of some kind before the boy dropped down. Even without a transmutation circle, Ed wasn't fast enough.

The dark-haired boy brought his fist down, sure to make contact with Ed's stomach, with the alchemist turning his body, trying to shield himself with his right arm. When he heard the sound of the stone fist striking metal, he was certain he'd been hit until he looked up to find a large metal hand wrapped around the transformed one. "Al," was all Ed could say before the boy began screaming for the younger brother to let him go.

Ed could see that same transformation he'd watched before as the boy altered his body, occurring again, but this time, it was affecting Al as well.

"Brother!" Al shouted as Ed saw the boy's alchemy starting to meld the two bodies together.

Ed did the only thing he could, relying on some inclination he knew was not naturally his own. He clung to the boy, wrapping his arms around him. "Please calm down. You said you feel different. You don't have to. I'm trying to make Al normal again, and I can try to do the same for you." Ed held the boy close to himself, despite the fact that a part of him was repulsed to do so. "Please, hurting my brother isn't going to make it better." The boy was calming.

"I'm stuck. I don't know how… I don't know how to get loose." Ed could sense the boy's tension rising and grew afraid that another outburst could mean the loss of his little brother, or with such a close proximity, the loss of his children. "I can't get out. I can't!"

The door flung open, and Ed saw his teacher running toward them, wrapping her own arms around both him and the boy. "Try to remember your original form. Remember your form, the little boy, the child that likes to play on the rafters."

"Please try to remember," Ed echoed.

Relief washed over Ed as he felt the boy withdraw from Al. The storm was over. For now.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was nearly two in the morning when Ed finally got to talk to Al. Ed had trouble explaining to himself why the boy now clung to him nearly as much as Izumi, even asking Ed if he was a mother. Ed somehow had managed to bite his tongue, supposing that the boy wasn't entirely wrong.

"Brother?" Al asked, when Ed entered the room they shared.

"Al, I wanted to--"

"Ed, we need to talk."

"And I'm going to talk. What you did in there has made me want to cry for the last two hours, and I'm getting ready to lose it again, so I don't have long before I'm incoherent. Okay? You saved me and the babies, and I wanted to hug you for it that moment, but I had to stop the kid first. As far as the promise I made to him, you know the one I made to you comes first, and…" Ed had to stop to fight back a choking sob. "and I'm not going to let you down. You are first, Al, but maybe I can make this kid feel normal. Teacher is very attached to him. And honestly, I'm being selfish. I don't know of any other way to get my limbs back now that he has them." Ed had impressed himself, managing to get out his little speech just before sobbing himself into an unintelligible mess. All he could manage to do was wrap his arms around the cold armor.

"I know, Brother. I don't want my body back if yours isn't whole."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 **

_Caught _

There had been little time for Roy to call Ed again before moving westward to Kishua, supposedly the place of Scar's hideout. Two weeks had passed since the last phone call. In that time, Roy had managed to halt a massacre of the Ishbalans at the hands of his own troops, discovered where Scar had been staying, and uncovered some less-than-promising leads on where the murderer of countless state alchemists had moved on to. Finally, though, the colonel was able to travel eastward and would be on a train home by the next morning.

Though Roy's leadership had never wavered, when Roy had heard word that Major Armstrong had been sent to detain a possible witness to the recent uprising in Central and that said witness was in Dublith, Roy had grown worried for the young alchemists staying there. It never failed that when disaster struck or trouble occurred, Ed and Al were involved--Ed more so than Al. However, if Roy had had any idea what was really going on in Duluth, he may have pulled his troops out and tried to come to Ed's rescue.

In those two weeks, Ed had become closer to the boy, begrudgingly accepting the boy's affection, which neared that showered on Izumi. Over and over, the child had asked Ed if he really meant it when he promised to make him whole, and just as many times, Ed repeated that he had. Feeling that he was no longer a mere student to Izumi, who had confessed her own attempt at human transmutation weeks before, Ed had confronted her about her attachment to the boy and heard her own tale of the gate, offering up the transmuted baby to it and suddenly finding him grown up on Yock Island weeks ago. She had then explained that homunculus are not usually created because they are the goal of those creating them. They are born because an alchemist has attempted a human transmutation.

Trying to recover from his own shock and questions of his attempt at resurrecting his mother, Ed had realized that the boy, who seemed to be slowly recovering some memories, might very well realize the truth on his own and have no context with which to help ease his anger, an emotion the child had in proportions far larger than even Ed's own. After talking with Izumi and Al, who was finally allowed in on the "adult" conversations, Izumi had reluctantly agreed, but was afraid of what the child's reaction might be. Ed had seen in her face that she had prepared for the worst of all possible actions on her own part, having to destroy the child, but had never anticipated having to tell him the truth of his formation.

His reaction had been what all had expected: furious and hurt. He had tried to fight them and ran away, right into the arms of Lieutenant Colonel Archer and Major Armstrong. It had taken a melee battle royale to recover the boy, with Ed and Al trying not to appear to have taken Izumi's side as they fought, with Archer and Armstrong standing no chance against a furious teacher, with chimeras including Shou Tucker and a former state alchemist fighting for an unknown leader and personal gain, and with the Fuhrer appearing to have taken the boy at the last moment.

Now, the group had recovered the boy, noting that his skin coloring and eyes had changed. Reaching Yock Island, the only place they thought they might find sufficient cover, the boy looked up and spoke his first words since the assault on the south headquarters.

"The one called Envy finally gave me a name." Ed looked down at the boy. "He called me Wrath. I think he's right." The boy's eyes narrowed on Izumi. "I can never forgive you for what you did. How dare you create me then abandon me to the gate? Do you have any idea the hell that is on the other side of that thing?" Izumi tried to approach him, to comfort him. "Don't come near me!" He turned to Ed. "And you. You gave me a taste of what it feels like to be human, but only that, a taste. Your arm and leg only remind me of what I'm not."

"What did Envy do to you?" Ed stepped toward the boy, surprised that he had not received the same command Izumi had.

"He told me that if I took your whole body, made it mine, I'd feel human. He told me everything about the gate, everything about how a homunculus is created, how I was created." Ed looked at the boy strangely. "He told me everything you wouldn't. And he fed me red stones, telling me as I ate that they were made from dead humans, but I couldn't stop. I am so much more powerful now, more powerful than you. I could have been killed before, but now, there is nothing you can do. You've missed any chance you had at killing me and getting your limbs back."

Ed moved closer still, drawn to Wrath. The moment he made the move closer, the boy leapt from the ground and punched Ed in the face, screaming, "You made me know I'm not human, and it hurts more than you can even imagine. You tried to play God just like her." Then, in a lower voice, the boy said, "Will you keep your promise to me?" As Ed struggled to fight back, he couldn't help but look confused.

"You bastard!" the kid screamed, moving behind Ed, never taking what could have been a fatal shot at the teen. "Will you keep the promise knowing I have those stones inside of me, and I knew how they were created?"

Finally, the teen alchemist was catching on, approaching this as a spar that had to look good. "If you don't hit me in the gut," he said, quietly, "I might." He scanned the horizon for other homunculi. "Where are they?"

"Just beyond the bushes, I think." Ed met the boy blow for blow, and seeing that Wrath never once made a move at Ed's stomach, he felt that he could trust him. "I hate you!" Wrath shouted loudly. "I think I might mean that," he said more quietly, "but you're the best I've got. If I could be human with a whole body, I could have taken Al's on the other side. Envy lied to me, and I don't like being lied to. Besides, you need to keep that promise if you want these back." Wrath gestured to the arm and leg before hitting Ed in his automail arm.

Ed couldn't signal Al or Izumi not to get involved, and before he knew it, the three had Wrath surrounded. As Ed made a move to strike Wrath again, Izumi clapped and placed her hands on the ground, creating a deep ravine. With the barrier between them, Wrath then took off beyond the bushes.

Knowing other homunculi were there, ones Ed was quite sure he wanted to attack, Ed charged around the other side of the ravine with Al on his heels.

Reaching a clearing with no sign of Wrath, he found himself face-to-face with what looked to be the Fuhrer.

"Envy, you should have chosen someone else," Ed said. "Being human, King Bradley can't be in two places at once, and he's at a ball in Central."

"The shrimp actually reads the newspaper." King Bradley slowly dissolved into Envy's dark-haired form. "I'd love to get a few shots in at you, but I'm not calling the orders on this one." Envy started to run off, with Ed chasing as closely as he could behind him. "Don't worry about Wrath. He'll be find. I'm sure he'll find a mother figure to attach himself to."

Ed tried to follow as Envy once again changed form, this time to that of a wolf, losing the blond alchemist quickly in the cover of the forest.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As Roy was preparing to leave the temporary command center just south of the real Southern Headquarters, he received notification that he had a phone call.

"Hello, Colonel," a deep and resentful voice said on the other end, "I am going to need you to make space for four on your train back to Central. You see, I have your little prodigy here, and I need to question him about the recent attack here at Southern Headquarters."

"How was Fullmetal involved, _Lieutenant_ Colonel?"

"As far as I can tell, he knew the woman who made the attack and ran off with a young witness to the rebellion in Central. I need answers to find her, and he's claiming he doesn't know."

Roy knew full well what an interrogation from the lieutenant colonel could mean, particularly with Archer knowing that Roy's discovery and leadership of Edward only being a boon toward promotion. "I will question him myself. If you do anything, I do not want you doing any more than asking him questions. Those are direct orders. He is my subordinate and I. Out. Rank. You."

Putting such emphasis on those words might have been a mistake, but at this point, Roy didn't give a damn. He had to make it clear to Archer that if he laid a hand on the boy, Roy would personally hurt the man, not that there wasn't a part of Roy that had wanted to do that for a long time.

"Afraid I'll hurt his pretty little face?" Archer's voice asked with venomous sweetness.

"Who the hell are you calling pretty?" Roy heard in the background. At least Fullmetal didn't seem to be in pain at the moment. "And what do you mean by little?"

"Colonel Mustang, is this how you teach your subordinates to talk to their superiors?"

"Loyalty is more important than bootlicking."

"You never seemed to mind the bootlicking, and as I recall, you are quite good at it yourself. Or have you gotten out of practice?" Roy clenched a hand around the receiver, grateful he didn't have the immense strength that Ed had, or he surely would have crushed it.

"Lieutenant Colonel, put the major on the phone." Roy said, his jaw tight and his mind seriously wishing fire could travel by phone lines. Roy heard the shifting and a loud thunk on the other end of the line as Archer let the phone slam to the floor before Ed picked it up.

"Colonel?"

"Are you okay? Has he done anything to you?"

"No, sir. He's just holding Al and I here."

"I know you want to protect the Curtises, but Archer doesn't like not having answers. You are going to have to tell him what you know."

"We did. We followed after the homunculus, the one who was reportedly a witness to the insurgency in Central, but lost him as at least one additional homunculus made off with him. When we returned, Sig and Izumi had already left with the only boat. I think they are trying to follow the new homunculus called Wrath, but because I'm part of the military, they aren't getting in contact with Al or me. That is all I know, and I told the Lieutenant Colonel just what I'm telling you. So did Al."

"Keep on your toes around him. I'm about 11 hours away."

"Colonel?" Ed's voice asked, as though trying to think how to phrase his next question. "I need you to call Dr. Knox. Somehow, Izumi's medicine got mixed up with mine. I have a bottle of estrogen instead of my stomach medicine. They found it when they searched my suitcase." He paused as Roy made a sound of acknowledgement, and impressively, Ed continued on as though Roy was being the typical Colonel Bastard. "I've taken enough flack for the stuff as it is, so don't start. I need you to call Dr. Knox and get my antibiotic. It's going on two days since I've been able to take it, and I don't want to risk anything."

Two days since Ed had taken the hormone. Roy understood the risk and knew he had to get Dr. Knox on the phone before he left.

"I'll call him right away. Be careful, Fullmetal."

"I will."

With that, Roy hung up the phone, not wanting to listen to Archer continue on in that smug way of his. Immediately, he picked it up again, asking the operator to connect him to Dr. Knox in Central.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 **

_Bad Blood _

As the train hissed to a stop at the depot, Ed was led onto the train by the tall Lieutenant Colonel, who manhandled him as he pushed him up the steps of the train. Al received much better treatment, as he had Armstrong guiding him by the arm. As he was shoved, Ed couldn't help but think there was something sick and warped in the world that a man like Archer was allowed to take the place of someone like Hughes.

Being thrust onto the train, Ed almost missed a dark blur he felt certain was Mustang running from the train. He was impressed. The man really could move if he had to. Once fully on the train, Ed heaved a visible sigh of relief as he was faced with Havoc, greeting them like lost friends and not detainees. "Hey, Boss, Al, Major," he said with a smirk, right hand saluting, cigarette dangling from his lips. The smirk vanished. "Lieutenant Colonel."

"I have the major and his brother here to be brought back to Central."

"The colonel told me to apologize, but since the train is pretty full with troops, the boss and his brother are going to share Colonel Mustang's compartment. Major Armstrong will be with Falman and Breda, hopefully able to keep the peace between them. And you, Lieutenant Colonel are stuck two cars back with Fuery and me."

Archer's eyes became mere slits as Havoc almost swaggeringly led them each to their respective seats, Archer's last of all. With a pleased grin, Ed watched as the lieutenant colonel was led further into the train. Seeing Archer turn back at him with a glare, Ed slid into the compartment, shutting the door and laughing his head off. He didn't notice as Al sat down, but looking at the compartment with its two bench seats, he was grateful the colonel traveled in what was more or less first class, since the seats elsewhere on the train looked barely wide enough to seat both Al's large armor and Ed with any comfort for the blond. Here, Ed thought he might be able to stretch a bit, even if sitting beside his brother. As Mustang was not aboard yet, Ed took it to his advantage, stretching out across the seat opposite Al, hoping that on this trip, he could actually get some sleep, seriously wishing for no noisy neighbors here. After all, the only one on this train with such a reputation was the man he was sharing a cabin with. Ed shifted to his side, fighting off some very impure thoughts he could not afford to have as he was currently staring directly at his little brother.

"Colonel Mustang has been very nice to us," Al said.

"Yep," Ed answered. "There are some benefits to this." He rubbed the slightly larger bump on his stomach. He wondered if the colonel would notice that it was growing and if he would be excited to see it if he did. The difference wasn't incredibly noticeable, but the change was there.

"Brother?" Ed looked up at Al, that tiny smile still on his face that he found always appeared when he was thinking of the babies. "I know I can't really feel, but can I?" Ed moved his hands away and pushed his stomach out just slightly as Al gently rubbed a metal hand over the bump. "I wish I could feel them."

"Then I guess you're giving me a deadline for getting your body back. Let's see, I have a little over five months left, so I guess I have to get it back before then."

Ed could feel the train was beginning to move again, lurching, sending Al to the back of the bench. Al had no sooner slipped back in the seat than the door slid open, revealing Mustang, standing, two rather large brown bottles clanking under his arm. Ed tried not to grin as he noticed the older man seemed a bit winded.

"What are those?" Ed asked.

"Your 'medicine,'" Roy answered as he held up the first bottle, which was filled with what looked like fifty normal-sized pills.

"How long did the doc expect me to be on this train? How many doses is that?"

"Six." Ed cocked his head to the side as his eyes widened slightly. "They think I was picking these up for a woman who needed supplements for 48 days. So for you, it means eight pills per dose." Ed's jaw dropped in shock, his eyes large and pathetic.

"Eight?" It was then that Ed paid attention to the second bottle in the colonel's hands. "What's that one?"

"These are the antibiotic for your stomach problems." Roy handed the bottle of hormones to Ed. "There's water on the pull-down shelf behind your head, Fullmetal." Ed turned around and saw that there was a decanter with water and a glass seeming to be ready for Ed, as he knew that the colonel didn't keep water when other potables were available. Pouring himself a glass, Ed watched as Mustang moved to the window, dumping the contents of the antibiotic bottle through the small opening. "You should be glad you didn't have to take those eight at a time. I think they were horse pills."

Ed held the handful of the estrogen supplements in his hand. "I'm going to have a hard time choking all of these

down as it is."

As Ed prepared himself to take the massive quantity of female hormones, Roy took the bottle off of him, exchanging its contents to the now empty bottle that bore Ed's name and the prescription for the antibiotic. He then incinerated the label on the hormone bottle and placed it in an overhead compartment.

"I'm sorry to have ignored you like that, Al," Roy said as he sat beside Ed, who had been forced to sit completely upright to ensure that each of the pills made it down.

"It's okay, Colonel."

"Though I'd love to ask you more about your time in Dublith, these walls aren't entirely thick, and I'd rather talk to you all in private."

"I think Lieutenant Colonel Archer would like to do the same," Al said.

"I'm sure he would," Roy said. Ed couldn't help but notice how dark Roy's face had become. Most hated Archer for being one of the military's most obedient dogs, but he was second only to the colonel himself. As a matter of fact, the ambition the two men had and their loyalty to the military had often earned them comparisons, though it was a known fact that Archer found far more pleasure in doing battle than Mustang ever had. "Speaking of Archer, I am going to need written statements from both of you to present at Central. I've already called ahead, trying to cut Archer off at the pass, and the fuhrer has already agreed to drop charges if he is satisfied with the report. I don't expect you to divulge your most private details, but you will probably have to tell more than you would normally feel comfortable with."

Ed no sooner finished the final pill and downed the glass of water when he looked over at Mustang. "Do you want to, um…"

Roy looked at Ed strangely for a moment, the finely veneered and formal face of the commander melting for a moment as Ed turned toward him, one hand lifting his shirt slightly, the other pulling down the waist of the pants just a bit. Roy had hesitated last time when there had been a nightshirt between them, and now he seemed even more reluctant without even that barrier. It was a moment before the Flame Alchemist allowed his bare hand to make contact with the flesh of Ed's stomach, hands softened by lack of enormous physical labor and a great amount of time in gloves rubbed over the sensitive skin, a proud smile growing until it threatened to break his face. In return, Ed could not help looking up at his commanding officer, eyes glowing.

With a clearing of a throat he didn't have, Al reminded the two that he was still in the compartment with them. Mustang pulled away from Ed. "So, tell me Fullmetal," he said, shifting himself into the corner where the seat met the wall, "why aren't you putting up more of a fight about all this?"

"I wondered the same thing, Brother," Al said.

Ed turned, taking a position similar to Mustang's on his side of the cushioned bench. He lowered his voice, remembering all too well how thin walls could be on a train. "Because I now have someone on the inside."

"Brother?"

"Wrath, as he calls himself now, trusts me. He doesn't like me, but he trusts me. Right now, he's with Envy and will play the part he needs to."

"And you trust him?" Roy asked, eyes searching Ed's face. Very quietly, Ed recounted what Wrath had said during their fight, feeling he had convinced his brother and colonel.

Ed was beginning to feel very tired, and nearly had drifted off into a comfortable sleep when he heard mewing that sounded like it was coming from inside of a trash can. Gold eyes shot open. "Al!" The armor hunched down as small as it was capable. "How the hell did you find time to pick up another stray?"

"When Major Armstrong was talking and flexing. He didn't notice me picking it up."

"Al, we can't keep that. You know the rules."

"That's one of the benefits of not living in the dorms," Roy said with a smile. "Can I see it, Al?"

Al reached into his armor, pulling out a kitten just large enough to fit in both of Roy's hands. It was a calico with large spots of black and tan covering the top of its body, a spot of white on its head and covering the underside of its body. With large green eyes, it looked up at the older alchemist, who scratched its tiny head with his thumb.

"As long as Black Hayate doesn't try to eat her, we'll be okay."

"It's a girl?" Ed asked, leaning over to scratch under the animal's chin.

"It's a tortoiseshell calico. They're always female." Ed looked at him curiously. "My mother had one when I was a kid."

"So, um?" Al asked.

"I prefer dogs, but she's friendly enough that I don't mind." Roy handed the kitten back to Al, who made a noise that sounded like relief that finally he was going to be able to keep one of his strays. Ed couldn't help but feel this was Roy's way of making his little brother feel more included. The teen could hardly fight the contented expression on his face as he began to drift into sleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Roy hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep until he heard Fullmetal crying out in pain.

"Damn it, Al, what was that for?" Ed was bent over, rubbing his right shin.

The door to the compartment slid open and a dark-haired spectacled young man leaned a head in. "Colonel Mustang?" he said timidly.

"Yes, Master Seargent Fuery?"

"I was told by Lieutenant Colonel Archer to come and find you. He wants to speak to you."

Roy tensed. "I will be there in a few moments."

Fuery nodded, then shut the door behind him.

"That was why I kicked you, Brother," Al said. "I could hear Private Fuery coming, and you were sound asleep on the Colonel's chest." So that was why Roy had the feeling of a loss of heat on his body. He'd been used as a pillow. "It really didn't look good to someone who hadn't seen the two of you fall asleep and end up like that." From the tone of Al's voice, Roy doubted it had looked proper even to someone who had.

The colonel rose from his seat, straightening his uniform and running his hands through his hair. "In the fold-out portion behind Al, there is some food. Help yourself to it, Ed. And there should be a can of something that the cat should be able to eat, Al."

"We need to come up with a name for it," Ed said, moving across the compartment to search the recessed area.

"I'll think of something. I just want the name to be right." Al paused. "Speaking of which, have you two thought of any?"

"We did. We figured, since it's a boy and girl, Riza and Maes," Ed answered, kneeling on the bench beside Al, facing the wall, pulling out a few packages of crackers and some tins of food.

Roy was about to walk out when he heard, "Oh." He turned around and looked at the suit of armor, as Ed twisted around on his knees to face his brother. "I'm sorry. I just didn't think… I mean, you're still going to stay in touch with Gracia and Elysia, right?"

"Of course," Roy answered.

"Well, I was just thinking it might be awkward calling for your son when they're around, you know." Al looked at the sleeping cat on his lap. "I mean, for middle names, but for first… I shouldn't have said anything."

"He makes a good point, Fullmetal."

"Yeah," Ed answered. "He usually does."

Roy left the brothers behind as he made his way through the train cars back to the rear car, where Havoc and Fuery had gladly moved earlier in order to keep the lieutenant colonel as far away from Roy and the Elrics. Fuery, a bit newer to the military didn't know all of the stories and had no idea of the bad blood between the two superior officers and had made the move simply to put the distance between Archer and the boys, but Roy knew Havoc was aware of his commander's reasons for despising the warmonger, if not knowing all of the details.

When he reached the very rear of the train, Roy found his two subordinates standing outside. "He won't let us in," Fuery said. "He said he wants to talk to you in private." Roy knocked on the door, not about to open it himself. He would make the bastard do it, show him that despite how hard he tried to catch up in rank to Roy, he still hadn't achieved it.

"Colonel, sir," Fuery said, nervously, "I heard some of the guys saying you two used to be friends."

The door slid open as Roy answered, "Only until I outranked Archer."

"You are right, Colonel," the man said from the doorway. "The best memories I have of you were when you were _under_ me."

Roy scowled at Archer, only to see Lieutenant Havoc moving as though to punch the man. "Don't Lieutenant. In rank alone, he is your superior, but that is all that counts in a court-martial."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When the colonel shut the door behind him, Havoc led Fuery back through the train. Mustang hadn't lied when he said there wasn't much room on the train for the four additional military personnel brought aboard. Practically every seat and compartment was full. "Come on, we're going to visit with the major and his brother."

Havoc lit a cigarette as they reached an opening between the cars. Standing there for a moment, he could feel Fuery's puppy dog eyes looking up at him. "What?"

"If they were really friends, why do they hate one another so much?"

"The colonel was the friend, not Archer. The minute Colonel Mustang got the title of state alchemist, Archer started rumors that the colonel, who was a major at the time, had tried to seduce him, with promises of a promotion in rank. Archer had only been in the military officially for about a year and was just a sergeant. Colonel Mustang hadn't even finished the academy and was a major instantly. It never sat right with Archer. So he decided to be a petty asshole.

"It nearly ruined the colonel's career before it started. Not that anyone cared if he'd been with a guy, most aren't so hung up on that. The upper-ups only cared that Archer was was a subordinate, and he'd supposedly used his rank to get what he wanted. He was brought before the court-martial for it. Far as I've heard, only black mark on Mustang's career came from the bastard." Havoc flicked the ashes from his cigarette onto the ground. "Let's get inside and stop standing out here gossiping like teenage girls."

"Archer is a son of a bitch."

"Couldn't agree more."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 **

_**Power and Control**_

_Roy sat in his dorm room, the new silver watch in palm, his thumb tracing over the dragon on the outside. He was finally a state alchemist and a major in the military. All of his work, his study had finally paid off, and now he was well on his way toward becoming fuhrer. _

"_Be thou for the people," he muttered to himself as he opened the pocketwatch and looked at the blank inside cover. He knew that many of the state alchemists carried pictures of loved ones or mementos on the other side of the dragon, but he had to question who he would put there. He didn't date a woman for more than 3-4 dates. The only people in his life that remained consistent were Maes and Frank. _

_And even Frank was being an ass right now. _

_Roy didn't understand what had gotten into the older man, who had been surprisingly kind to Roy, despite his natural inclination to be a jerk to most everyone else, apparently seeing a younger version of himself in the alchemist. Regardless of that, Frank hadn't been happy when he'd found out that Roy was attempting the state alchemist exam and now was downright rude to the nineteen-year-old alchemist. _

_Thankfully, Maes held no ill-will toward the man two years his junior and had even taken him out to celebrate. Roy didn't envy Maes the headache he'd have in the morning, even though he hadn't allowed himself to get shit-faced like his older friend. Still, he'd call Maes up in the morning, offering him some kind of hangover cure and a cup of coffee, just to make sure his friend survived having his head split open by remnants of vodka and scotch. _

_Roy snapped the watch shut, slipping it in his pocket as he heard someone knocking on his door. _

_He opened the door, just enough that the chain lock was pulled tight. Looking up he saw the tall, dark-haired man, "What do you want?"_

0o0o0o0

"What is it, _Lieutenant_ Colonel?"

"You should be glad you managed to stop your lieutenant," Archer said, adjusting the cuff of his left sleeve. "I'd hate to see you have two of your subordinates being court-martialed."

"Two?" Roy asked, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"You know I mean that little major of yours." Archer's eyes met Mustang's as he took a seat, gesturing for Mustang to follow suit, though he never did.

"Really? Then you must have information that I don't," Roy said, feigning ignorance. "Because I spoke directly to the fuhrer on the way here, and he said nothing of court-martialing Fullmetal or punishing his brother. Where do you get your information? Because you seem very certain of it."

Roy allowed a carefully planned smirk to spread across his face.

0o0o0o0o0

"_I want to apologize for my behavior," Frank said, looking down at his feet. "I was being a jerk." _

"_You were being a horse's ass, Frank, and you know it." _

_The taller man ran a hand through his hair. "I know. Please, just let me in." _

_Roy slid the chain aside, then opened the door wide enough for Frank to enter. _

"_So, you're finally a state alchemist," Frank said, playing with his shirt sleeves, a habit Roy had become accustomed to whenever the sergeant was trying to appear confident. "What title did they give you, the Shrimp Alchemist?" _

"_Screw you, Frank. I'm the Flame Alchemist." _

"_The Flaming Alchemist? Seems appropriate." _

"_No, Frank," Roy said as he went to the thin icebox in the kitchenette to retrieve two beers. "They're saving that one for you, just in case you show any sign of alchemic abilities." _

_Grabbing a bottle opener, Roy opened the first beer, handing it to the sergeant, then opening the second for himself. "So, what was all that about anyway. You've hardly spoken to me for the last two months, and when you did..." _

"_Yeah, I know." Frank took a swig of the beer, grimacing. "Damn, Roy, can't you afford the good stuff on your salary?" _

"_I haven't gotten paid anything yet," Roy said, taking a drink, trying to convince himself that he was accustomed to the taste and would not feel the need to mimic Frank's expression. _

"_Now, don't drink too much of that. I think one of those could probably get a little guy like you drunk." _

"_You now, in the real world, I'm a little over average height. I can't help it that the military likes to hire tall freaks like you and Maes." _

"_And what about the state alchemists? You couldn't come up to Zolf Kimblee's chin, and I'd bet you look Alex Armstrong in the chest. You've got to hold a record for the youngest and the shortest ever admitted as a state alchemist." Roy took another drink, ignoring Frank's playful ribbing. "I'd really like to make it all up to you, Roy, the way I've been acting."_

0o0o0o0

"I will take this to the fuhrer," Archer said. "I'll tell him everything I know."

"That should take all of five minutes," Roy said, sarcastically.

"So is that it? We've lowered ourselves to petty insults?"

"I will admit that it is low for me, but I believe it would be an upward move on your part, Lieutenant Colonel."

0o0o0o0

"_I'm really not in the mood--" Roy was cut off by Frank's lips pressed against his own. His mind wasn't in the mood, but damned if his body didn't seem to be ready and willing. Frank's tongue began tracing Roy's lips, trying to get them to part, to give entry. Roy wasn't relinquishing anything. Frank pulled back and began kissing up Roy's jaw, speaking between licks and kisses that led up to the teen's ear. _

"_You really are angry with me, aren't you? I've never seen you fight this before." Frank finally reached Roy's ear, allowing the tip of his tongue to graze over Roy's earlobe, then trace inside of each curve. Once he had completely re-familiarized himself with the younger man's ear, Frank planted a kiss to Roy's cheekbone. "Let me make this up to you. Please." _

_The pleading sound of Frank's voice let some of Roy's resentment melt, just a little. His hands, which had been placed between them in protest now grabbed onto Frank's shirt, pulling him closer. Frank's own hands began unbuttoning Roy's already disheveled white shirt, swiftly making their way down to his waistband, pulling out the shirt tails. Frank then slid his hand underneath, allowing them to glide over the body beneath. _

"_So smooth," Frank said, as he rubbed along Roy's abdomen, up his chest. "Don't know what it is about you. Normally, I only go for manly men. You're damned near a woman." _

_Roy pulled back, knowing something wasn't right. Frank's dirty talk usually lacked in the way of incensing desire, but never had Roy been compared to a woman in the two years they had carried on this way. Frank didn't even register the fact that he no longer had an active partner. He moved down on Roy's body, kissing every exposed inch of skin, while Roy tried to push him away. _

"_Frank," Roy said, trying to hold back noises that exposed how pleased his body was, even if he wasn't. Two eyes looked up at him as that tongue of the older man slipped its way to Roy's naval, dipping in. A shiver ran up Roy's spine. "Frank, stop." _

"_Your mouth says stop, but..." Frank patted the front Roy's pants, then gave a squeeze to the hardened bulge. "Something says otherwise." _

"_Frank, no." _

_The twenty-one-year-old stood, standing inches taller than Roy. "We've been doing this for two years, Roy. What do you expect from me?" _

"_Don't call me a damned woman," Roy said, pupils lost in his dark eyes as they turned nearly black. Frank put his arms on either side of Roy's shoulders, beneath the white shirt, and began pushing the piece of clothing down. "Stop." _

"_I can't. You just look so, so..." Frank nipped at one of Roy's shoulders. "good." _

_The nineteen-year-old tried to convince his body to fight back against its favorite playmate, but with little success. Following the drunken night two years ago, Frank and Roy had been meeting just like this for little trysts with one another. As friends, they agreed they were two men who needed release, and despite the first awkward time together, they decided to repeat the process when it was needed by one, the other, or both. Roy's body had trained itself to respond to the older man, and tonight, as hard as Roy tried to make it do otherwise, it wouldn't break its training._

0o0o0o0o0

"You went over my head?" Archer said, almost malevolently.

"I already am over your head. I went over mine." Roy chuckled somewhat maliciously. "Are you never going to learn not to mess with state alchemists? We win every time."

"Yes, unlike the rest of us, who have to actually earn the military's respect and our rank."

"The military recognizes those with talents by pushing them up the ladder in rank. My talent is alchemy." Roy paused. "Of course, you've managed to rise through the ranks fairly quickly for someone who was busted down to private ten years ago. I've seen some of your talents. Is that how you managed it?"

"I believe that is sexual harassment, Colonel." There was a tug on the right shirt sleeve. Roy was rather enjoying that, for once, he was making this man squirm, making _him_ force himself to look confident.

"Your mind is in the gutter, Archer." Roy made a slight tsk, tsk sound. "Is that really all you think of? I was referring to your abilities with a gun."

Archer stood, still inches taller than the colonel. "I'm not a fan of games."

"And I'm not a nineteen-year-old who has delusions you are his friend. Now, I recommend you sit down before I feel forced to write you up for trying to intimidate a superior officer.

0o0o0o0o0

_When Roy found himself being pushed against his cold icebox, he hissed at the shock as every hair on his body on end, rising up in tiny bumps. Frank bent down and began sucking on the teen's neck, pushing his body between Roy's legs. Feeling the heat of the man in front of him, the alchemist could little help as he moved toward the warmth, threading his fingers into the dark hair and unintentionally lifting a leg and wrapping it around the taller man's thighs. _

"_M-move," Roy stuttered. _

"_But you are so responsive here," Frank said as he scooped Roy's other leg off the ground and pushed the alchemist's body higher on his own so that the legs were wrapped around his waist. Frank leaned down and began sucking on Roy's right nipple, evoking a moan that Roy had been trying to hold onto. "So responsive." _

_With a hand on each of Roy's legs, Frank pushed the younger man harder against the icebox, forcing Roy to keep himself upright as the sergeant continued to nip and suck at his nipples, making them stand on end, nearly as hard as what lay beneath the wool uniform pants. _

"_Unbuckle yourself," Frank ordered. _

_Trying to keep his balance with his left hand, Roy actually started to obey. His right hand rested on his belt buckle while he looked up into the eyes of the man holding him. The eyes were cold. Roy had seen him look like this before, but never at him, and he recognized what that look meant. Using his left hand and shoulders, Roy pushed himself forward, off of the icebox, knocking Frank backwards, causing him to lose his grip on the major. _

_Painfully, Roy hit the ground with a thud, knocking the wind out of him. Roy had seen the look in Frank's eyes and was more than familiar with it when the older man was facing opponents or rivals. None of this had been about apologies or even satisfying a little lust. This had been about power and showing who had it. Reaching into the pocket of his pants, which Roy was not grateful not to have disposed of, he pulled out a white glove and put it on his right hand. _

"_Would you really use that thing on me?" Frank asked, towering above Roy, who sat on the floor, shirtless and furious. _

"_If you don't get the hell out of my room this instant, they'll be taking you out in an ash can." _

"_You don't have the heart to kill, Roy. You never did." Roy snapped his fingers, singeing Frank's right coat sleeve. _

"_I said get out." _

"_You had better reconsider your actions, Roy Mustang. I might just be forced to tell the military that you took advantage of me right now." Frank began popping the buttons off of his white dress shirt, one by one. "I might have to tell them you tried to get me into your bed with the promise that you will help me get promoted." He ruffled his hair. "Now, look at the state I'm in, and there are still people out in the hallway. Do you really want me to leave right now and have them all see me?" _

"_If you do not leave right now, I am going to set fire to everything below your waist. I refuse to help you, you backstabbing bastard, and if I get court-martialed for not doing it, so be it."_

0o0o0o0

Roy turned to the door. "If you have nothing more to say to me, I will be going. I'm sure Lieutenant Havoc and Master Sergeant Fuery would like to have their compartment back." Though the colonel slid the door open rather calmly, he let it slam shut so hard, that had Archer been closer to the door, he would have been seriously injured.

With a steady, yet agitated pace, he walked through the train car, making it to the outside passageway. Grasping onto the railing, he squeezed tightly, yelling into the rushing wind nothing that really could be considered words as he pulled on the rail harder still. He stopped his scream when he heard the sound of bolts popping from the base of the railing, which he left behind as he moved back through the train toward Fullmetal.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 **

_**Gracia**_

Standing outside of the main office in Central, Ed checked over his body for a moment, hoping that nothing could be seen. He was wearing a loose red coat that vaguely resembled his own, minus the Flamel symbol on the back, a black dress shirt and a pair of cotton black pants. He jammed his hand in the pockets of the coat, looking for any sign of anything showing.

"Brother," a voice said, bringing him back to reality, "you look fine." Ed tilted his head upward to look at the suit of armor. "Colonel Mustang needs to talk to you. You should go inside."

Ed climbed the steps in front of the central office, Al clanking behind him. Ed had made this walk dozens of times before, but this time, he felt as though every set of eyes was on him. He struggled to keep his hands in his pockets, as part of him wanted to wrap his arms around his midsection to hide what Al constantly reassured him no one could see. Walking through the hallway, Ed passed people, some of whom greeted him, others who treated him like he had the plague, afraid that whatever he supposedly had was catching.

He reached the floor where Mustang's office was, holding his hands stiffly at his side, when he heard, "Hey Major! Didn't get to see you on the train." Ed turned to the side, seeing Breda waving good-naturedly. "Whoa, Major, once you get feeling better might want to hit a gym. Putting on a bit of a paunch there."

Ed jerked his left hand from his pocket, middle finger fully extended. "Sit on it and spin, Breda," Ed said.

"Brother!"

"Big fat pot calling the kettle fat," Ed muttered to himself as he stormed to Mustang's office. "What the hell is he calling a paunch? Paunch? His whole body is paunch. Squatty, fat. Fat. Fat. Idiot." Ed reached the door to Mustang's office, rapping on it so loudly and rapidly, that there would be no doubt to the man on the other side of that door that Ed was upset. "Who the hell does he think he is?" Ed continued to rant.

From within the office, Ed could hear a baritone voice from inside, "Come in, Fullmetal."

Ed opened the door to find Roy seated behind his desk, hands in that ever-present steepled position, a serious expression on his face. "All right, Colonel, let's just get my punishment over with," Ed said.

The colonel cleared his throat, a signal for Ed to pay attention that he was not alone in the room. Looking to the colonel's left, Lieutenant Colonel Archer stood, obviously awaiting Ed's punishment as much as the teen.

"Major Elric," the colonel began, "You have been ill for some time and had shown some signs of recovery. Unfortunately, because of your actions during the last few days, the doctor says you have set back your recovery by at least a month. Because of that, you will go without a month's pay ."

"Go without what! Do you expect me to starve? How the hell am I supposed to get better if I don't have any money to buy medicine or food?"

"Fullmetal, that will be enough," the colonel said, then turned to Archer. "Are you satisfied?"

"Of course I'm not," Archer said, looking down at Ed. "Well, Colonel, he might have beaten your record for age, but you must be grateful there is finally another state alchemist of your stature."

For just a moment, Ed watched as the stone face Mustang had so thoughtfully prepared cracked just a bit. Part of the young alchemist wanted to ask about the obvious hatred these two men shared, but age and experience had told him that it wouldn't be wise. If Mustang wanted to talk about it, he would, just as he had about the war in Ishbal.

"Lieutenant Colonel, you may leave," Roy said. "Fullmetal, I want to speak to you in private."

As Archer passed, he placed a hand on Ed's shoulder, "Be grateful that you report to him as your superior. I doubt you would find being under my service a pleasant experience. Would he, Colonel?"

Ed glanced up at the tall man, and saw as Roy almost threateningly rose from his seat.

"You should be grateful that I am not your subordinate," Ed said, "because I don't take well to authority. I have to believe I have a trustworthy and capable leader in order to follow."

Archer drew his arm back as though to backhand the teen, but a shout came from the other side of the room, stopping him. "Do it and I swear to you that you will lose that hand!"

Archer let the hand drop to his side. "Fullmetal, do not mistake that he will not stop me should you be so disrespectful in the future."

Ed watched as the arrogant man left the office. "Jerk," Ed said once the door shut. "Who does he think he is?"

"Aside from the lieutenant colonel, what has you so upset, Ed?" the colonel said, walking toward the young alchemist.

"You told me to react to my punishment."

"Though I've noticed some recent improvement in it, your acting ability simply isn't that good, Fullmetal. What is it?" Roy stood facing the teen, looking down at him. "You were angry the moment you knocked on this door."

"Moron Breda." Ed said, pointing to the door. "Told me I was getting a paunch. Ass, Fatass," Ed said, obviously referring to Breda. "Called me fat. Said I needed to hit the gym. Does he even know what a gym is? He wouldn't know a set of weights if it bit him on his fat ass."

Roy grabbed Ed by both of his shoulders and stared into the teen's eyes, obsidian looking into citrine. "Edward, you and I both know why you look the way you do. You're going to have to understand that not everyone will, and they're going to assume that what they see is a result of overeating and lack of activity. They won't know to suspect."

"It's just not fair," Ed looked to the floor.

"Are you going to cry?"

"N-no." Unfortunately a sniff belied the truth. "Do you think every time you say something nice to me, it's going to make me cry?"

"That seems to be the pattern." Roy pulled Ed into an embrace. "Since you're already crying, I might as well finish what I'm saying. I'm going to visit Gracia and Elysia. I want to tell Gracia everything, to have someone who's gone through all this before. So far, the only woman we've talked to about this is your teacher, and at the moment, she's a fugitive from the law."

"I'd like to have Mrs. Hughes know," Ed said, not wanting to crumble in the colonel's arms. He couldn't help but think how comforting it would be to have someone who he could talk to, even cry to, who wasn't the colonel. It would be nice to be able to regain a bit of his pride, to save a little face with his superior officer.

Still, Ed didn't know if he minded it so much if the colonel would hold him like this.

0o0o0o0

Roy stood outside of his friend's former home, knocking on the door, waiting for an answer. He watched as two large eyes peered out from the bottom of a window. From within, he could hear a small voice yelling out, "Mommy! Uncle Roy's here!"

When the door opened, Roy found himself faced with a woman he'd hardly seen since Maes's death. Gracia Hughes was as lovely as ever, that sort of gentle grace about her, that mysterious feeling of home she emitted still there. Yet, Roy could see the wear on her face, how tired, how sad she still was. Maes would have hated seeing his wife look like this, to know that nearly six months after his death, though she was picking up the pieces of her life, there was still so much hurt in the pretty woman.

"Hello, Roy. Please come in," she said, bowing to him.

"Thank you, Gracia."

"Uncle Roy!" Elysia shouted, running to him as she hadn't for some time since her father's death. She was obviously expecting his usual pat to the head before moving into the house. Roy had always regarded children as something to be treated like a beloved pet, it always seemed, as he never managed to do much more than offer a rub on the head before moving on to talk to the adults in a room.

Instead, Roy bent down and lifted the four-year-old into his arms, bringing her up so that she could press her face into his shoulder as he hugged her. "And how are you today, Elysia?"

Elysia smiled and began to chat away, almost to the point that Roy thought she might never stop. Thank goodness his own children wouldn't be able to talk for at least a year after they were born. After she had finished and accepted the suggestion from her mother that she go and play with her toys in the other room. Gracia then offered Roy a glass of milk and a slice of chocolate cake, which he gladly accepted. After taking a drink, he set the milk back on the table, feeling Gracia's hand covering the his own around the glass.

"I never got to tell you how sorry I was when I heard about Riza, at least not properly." She exchanged a sad, yet knowing smile with him.

"No, and I've never really done right by you," Roy said. For a moment, they sat in silence, just taking in one another's company. Finally, knowing he had to talk, he cleared his throat, trying to think how to say this. "I debated so long before Riza died whether or not to tell you…" He sighed, not sure how to complete what he was saying. "Two weeks before she was killed, I found out I was going to be a father."

Gracia reached across the table, grasping each of Roy's hands. "Roy, I'm so--"

"No, there's nothing to be sorry for." Roy had to speak quickly before Gracia was sure he was a true monster. "Gracia, you heard that the only person with Riza when she was killed was Edward Elric? Well, thanks to his stubbornness, there's no reason for you to feel pity for me losing my babies." He squeezed her hands. "I'm not going to lose them."

"Roy?"

"Gracia, we don't know exactly what it was that Fullmetal did, but he is now about four months pregnant. The babies are mine, Riza's, and apparently, his. He made the decision to keep them, and I'm going to be a father of a little boy and a little girl. Dr. Knox is keeping a close eye on Ed and the babies, and despite the fact that he's been an emotional wreck, he still wants to have them."

Roy waited for reaction of some kind from Gracia, but found her face was blank with shock. "Gracia?"

"I'm sorry, Roy, did I hear you right?"

That was when Roy heard a knock on the front door. Elysia, little bundle of energy that she was, ran immediately to the window.

"It's my big brothers! It's Ed and Al!"

At the table, the two adults looked at one another in surprise as Gracia rose from the table to answer the door. Roy followed behind her, watching in shock as the kind woman opened the door to reveal both Elrics. "Al thought you might have some trouble getting her to believe everything without proof, so we've been waiting around in the marketplace until you got here."

Gracia gestured for the two teens to enter her house, shutting the door behind them. The blond raised his head toward his brother. "Al, would you go with Elysia in the other room to play?"

"Sure, Brother," Al said with no argument.

Stepping away from the windows, Ed took another quick glance around, seeming to be searching for Elysia. "How much has Roy told you?"

Roy could see that Ed's use of his name only further stunned the poor woman, so he spoke for her, "I told her everything."

Ed tugged the dress shirt out of his pants, lifting it up as he shifted the pants below the tiny hump in his stomach, moving his hands to the top and bottom of the bulge, almost framing it in flesh and metal. "Do you want to touch it?" he asked.

Gracia extended her hand, looking far more timid than even Roy. "It's strange, I know," the colonel said, grasping her hand and pressing it to Ed's stomach, hardly able to help himself as he felt the strange shiver down his spine as his own hand came in contact with Ed's pregnant belly. "But the babies are in there."

"A little boy and a little girl?" Gracia asked, looking up at Roy. "And Ed, you're sure about this? I mean, this is nothing compared to what you're going to go through in a few months."

"I'm prepared for that, Mrs. Hughes." Ed looked up at the woman, whose hand still lingered on his belly. Roy couldn't get over how the teen's eyes simply lit up when talking about the babies, possibly the most endearing thing the older alchemist had ever seen. Roy moved his own hand, Gracia following suit.

"Right now, Gracia," Roy said, "I think Ed could use a friend who has been through this before. Someone to offer a little wisdom from experience, and we would like you to be a part of those babies' lives."

Ed was tucking in his shirt as he said, "And we wanted to ask if you would be okay if we named the boy…" Roy could almost watch as Gracia winced, waiting for them to ask the question they very well might have if it hadn't been for Al. "Nicholas Maes Mustang?"

"You want Maes to be his middle name?" Gracia asked, relief on her face, though the shock from the whole situation still remained. Both men nodded. "And Nicholas?"

"Nicholas Flamel designed the symbol that both Ed and Al wear, searched for the philosopher's stone, and it was rumored came to our world through a mysterious gate. It seemed appropriate."

"And for the little girl, we decided on Aideen Riza Mustang," Ed answered. "Aideen means 'little fire.'"

"I think they will both be lovely names," Gracia said, wrapping her arms around the two men.

"They'd better be. Bastard colonel wouldn't let me go to bed last night until we'd decided." Roy put his hand to the back of Ed's head, running his fingers over that satiny hair.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 **

_**Movement**_

_Ed felt like a blimp as he struggled to make the walk to Mustang's house. Eight months along, and he was ready to explode. He put his hands around his stomach, swearing that with each waddling step it grew larger. _

"_Well, if this isn't a pretty picture," A voice said from behind him. Ed looked over his shoulder to find Envy, looking as smug as ever. "So how exactly do you plan to take care of those babies all by yourself?" _

_Defensively, Ed latched onto his stomach. "What do you mean? I have Al and Roy." _

_Envy wrapped an arm around Ed's shoulders, pulling him up the front walkway. Pushing open the door, Ed found Lust piercing through Al's blood seal with her long talons. "Al!" Ed screamed. _

"_But here's the best part. We didn't even have to take care of Mustang. He went ahead and did it for us. Apparently, he just couldn't take the pain. He went and got himself drunk, found a revolver and BANG!" _

"_No! No, Roy!" _

0o0o0o0o0

"Ed," someone said, trying to bring the teen back to reality. He could feel himself being pulled into strong arms, and he wasn't resisting. "Ed, I'm right here."

Ed opened his eyes, finding the bedside lamp had been turned on, and he was currently being cradled next to his commander's chest. "Mustang?"

"Who was it this time?" A rehearsed question from the last few weeks of nightmares.

"You," Ed answered.

"I know, me, but I mean who killed me?"

"You. You shot yourself."

"And Al too?"

"Lust got him." Ed rested his head against Roy's shoulder, hoping for some reassurance. "You wouldn't...I mean, you couldn't actually..."

Roy pressed a cheek to the top of the blond head. "And risk you trying to transmute me back? I don't think so." Ed could feel the tears on his face that he must have shed during the nightmare drying, leaving his cheeks feeling very cold and a little stiff. "How many times do we have to go through this, Ed? I'm not leaving you alone. Understand?" Roy's arms snaked around to Ed's stomach, his fingers splaying over the rounded belly.

"But what if, I mean, dreams can sometimes predict."

"Ed, who killed me last night?"

"Scar."

"And before that?"

"Al. Before that, it was a car crash. And there was one where the cat and Black Hayate did it." Roy rubbed his hands around on Ed's stomach. "You've got to start reading more of those pregnancy books, Ed. Then you'd know that these nightmares happen all the time. Knowing won't make them go away, but at least you won't have to wake up terrified they're going to come true."

Ed sighed. For thirteen nights straight, he had been having these dreams, several each night. Either they were the best damn dreams he'd ever had, or they were terrifying ones of being left completely alone. And for thirteen nights, Roy had dutifully come into Ed's bedroom, wrapped his arms around the teen, and held him until the fear had subsided. Ed hated the dreams, and he would have given anything to get rid of them, but it was a small consolation that after each terrifying nightmare, Roy would cradle and comfort him.

Ed was not a clingy person by nature, but with Al gone exploring leads to the philosopher's stone with Major Armstrong, the fear of being left alone nearly consumed the blond, taking over his dreams and making him want nothing more than to lock himself in the house with Mustang and not let the older man leave.

He tilted his head up, feeling as Roy moved his own from Ed's hair. He looked up into those dark eyes, wondering how the older alchemist could even stand being around him. He knew that half of the time he was snapping at one insignificant thing or another, and the rest of the time, he only wanted to be beside the man who held him now.

"Oh my God," Roy said, holding his hands still on Ed's stomach and looking down at the teen's upturned face. "I felt them."

"I've been feeling them for going on three weeks." Ed placed a hand on top of Roy's. Guiding Roy with his automail limb, Ed shifted his hand downward. "Nicholas never stops moving. I think the boy is going to be an acrobat. Aideen only moves if she's been kicked by Nicholas." It had taken a month to reach this comfort level, but Ed no longer felt the awkwardness from the raven-haired man when it came to contact, and the teen was grateful. "Here, feel." He held Roy's hand under the rounded bump. "Can you feel him doing somersaults?"

"I think so."

"Now, give him a minute." Ed could feel as the little boy inside shifted and hit against his sister. In return, there was a swift kick. "I know you felt that. She's probably what you felt a minute ago. She doesn't move much, but when she does, you know it. The last time she kicked that way, it was a straight shot to my kidney, or at least it felt like it."

Ed felt Roy reluctantly pulling away. "You're going to need your sleep," he said as he shifted from behind the blond. "And I have work." Roy leaned down to Ed's stomach. "And you two need to stop boxing so that your daddy can get some sleep."

Ed could feel a lump in his throat. "What did you call me?"

"You want to be their mommy?"

"No," Ed answered quickly. "It's just, what are you going to be?"

"I figured something like Papa or Father. I don't know. I don't think I'm quite cut out for Daddy." Roy's hand lingered on Ed's stomach. "I can't believe I felt them."

"You can, if you want, you can stay. It's a big bed, and they kick all night long, so you'd probably feel them again, and you can set the alarm clock by the bed. I promise not to whine too much when it goes off." Ed rubbed his hands and looked away from the older man, realizing he was outwardly showing just how nervous his own voice must have sounded.

From the bed, Ed watched, somewhat wide-eyed, as Roy's eyes shifted over the double bed, and he bit his bottom lip. "If you really don't mind, I would like that."

0o0o0o0o0

Roy swore he would wear an idiotic grin all day at work. He'd felt his babies move. He'd actually felt them shifting in Ed's stomach, and they had distinctive personalities. They knew Aideen was on the left, and Ed was right, her movements were few, but they were the easiest for Roy to actually feel. Nicholas, on the other hand, seemed to be constantly rolling. Last night had been quite literally the most amazing night of his life.

It hadn't even been embarrassing this morning when he woke up, one hand on Ed's stomach, with the teen's flesh hand resting over top, the other of Roy's arms under the blond head and finding an automail leg twisted around his own.

He didn't want to admit it to himself, but it had felt almost right this morning. Then again considering that for once, Ed wasn't trying to injure Roy, that was little surprise it had felt good to wake up to a pleasant Fullmetal. Ed was clingy as hell at night, but was usually moody by morning and completely miserable by the time Roy got home from work.

After last night, he wanted to do something for the teen, but didn't exactly know what. He decided to rely on the woman who had become his sole source of information over the last month.

"Gracia?"

"Hello, Roy. I just got back from visiting with Ed. He was very excited you had gotten to feel them last night. It's pretty incredible, isn't it?"

"Unbelievable," was all Roy could answer. "Gracia, I was calling because I wondered if you had any ideas of something I could do for Ed. He's been sulking around the house lately, and it's getting depressing."

"He's bored, Roy. This is a young man who never stops moving, who has traveled since he was twelve. Now, he's cooped up in a house with a dog and a cat to keep him company. You need to find a way for him to go out and enjoy himself."

Roy said goodbye then sat and thought for several minutes on exactly how he was to be expected to take a pregnant Fullmetal out of the house. When the answer finally came to him, he suddenly grew quite certain that the solution would result in his own death.

Still, he knew it was the only way, and he hoped that Ed's recent desire not to be abandoned would keep Roy from meeting a nightmarish fate.

0o0o0o0o0

Back at home, Ed was going over some of Roy's books. He was impressed that the man's research, and that Roy was obviously unsatisfied using existing transmutations, managing to draw his own arrays, some that were good, others that were crap. He had even discovered that the incendiary cloth that Roy used to make his gloves was actually his own creation, apparently a fact that was not widely known or else Roy would have spent most of his career making more of the fabric for purposes of weaponry. Much of Roy's work had centered around fire and traditional alchemy, but there were enough aimed at Roy's favorite recreational activities that Ed was gradually filling up the corner with what he called the "sex pile."

There were a few incomplete arrays that Ed thought, with a little tweaking, he might have been able to do something with, and though part of him thought he should ask permission before messing around with the Flame Alchemist's work, he decided that since he was stuck at home with two feuding babies in his gut, it would be just fine.

It was only 3:30, when Ed heard the main door open and watched as Black Hayate went bounding to greet his master. "Roy, you're home early."

"I won't be able to stay," Roy answered as he entered the room. "I'm going to ask you something, just please don't shoot me."

Blond brows knit together. "What?" Roy said nothing, only handed him a large purple bag. Ed looked inside, finding two strange flesh-colored pieces of fabric. He held it up and read the label, which said these would hide automail. Beneath those was a box of brown hair dye, a pair of wire-rimmed glasses, and what appeared to be maternity clothes. "Hell no." Amber eyes began shooting daggers at the man standing above him.

"I'm sorry Ed, but I know you're bored, and this was the only way I could think of. With the clothes and your current figure, the hair dye, glasses and automail covers, no one would ever think it was you. You could go out into public without any worry."

"And you expect me to just stroll down the street in this stuff?"

"Well, no, I was actually thinking I'd be with you. Dinner and a movie? I know you haven't really gotten to do that since the pregnancy."

"And I'll be pretending to be what? Your cousin from the east? What?"

"I was just going to keep it simple. We wouldn't need any elaborate stories if people just thought you were," Roy cleared his throat. "my date."

Ed sat slack-jawed for a moment, part of him wanting to smack the taller man, and another part wanting to hug him.

As though trying to change the subject, Roy looked down at the mess Ed had created on the floor. "What were you doing?"

"Going through your arrays. I've sorted them out into type. That pile," Ed said pointing to the one in the corner, "I'm not going through. You're a sick man, and I can't believe I'm going out on a date with a pervert." Ed placed his hand over his mouth. He'd just agreed to go out with the colonel.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 **

_Dinner _

Ed stood in front of the bathroom mirror. What had he agreed to? He'd dyed his hair a rich chestnut brown, not exactly certain that he liked it this color. It seemed strange against his skin, making it seem darker. Ed ran his hand through his hair, as it hung loose over his shoulders, but didn't lay softly, as the temporary dye made his hair feel stiff and unnatural. Ed didn't exactly know how to do anything with his hair more complicated than braiding, and that was out of the question, since he knew the risk that he and Roy were taking, having him go out into the public at the middle of the pregnancy, so he didn't really want to look much like himself.

Pulling out a brush, he combed it back into a low ponytail that started at the top of his shoulders. He supposed it looked good--not great, but it would do.

For a quick check, Ed ran his hand over his cheeks and chin. No, he didn't need to shave.

"Damn hormones," Ed muttered as he pulled out the black wire-rimmed glasses. "Hardly got to shave before, now I don't get to at all."

He stepped back and looked at the clothing Roy had chosen for him. Much as he resented the fact that he was standing in items that were distinctively maternity clothes, Ed had to give the colonel credit that he had chosen items that didn't make the teen feel like he was in drag. Not entirely.

The sapphire-colored shirt clung closely to Ed's chest, now a full B cup and hopefully through growing, but it billowed out over Ed's stomach. The pants were soft and flowing, resembling a long skirt when Ed was standing still, but obviously pants when he began to walk. On his feet were a pair of black shoes, designed for comfort, and for the most part succeeding.

Though he still thought he looked like himself, anyone who hadn't witnessed the changes to his body, who didn't know why his skin seemed to glow--when it wasn't breaking out--might have mistaken Ed for a woman. That thought reassured the teen, meaning that he would be able to go out, but it also disturbed him on more levels than he could even consider. He closed the lid of the toilet, taking a seat on the porcelain throne. He rested his elbows on his knees and slid his hands beneath the glasses, rubbing at his temples. He looked like a damned woman, and he knew it.

"Ed," Roy's voice called from the hall outside the guestroom door, "are you ready?"

Taking a deep breath, Ed stood and opened the bathroom door, finding Roy standing on the other side, having gone through the guest room at this point. Roy wore a pin-striped suit, the coat opened to reveal the matching vest, crisp white shirt, and red tie. The man kept his hair down, as Ed had always preferred, rather than slicking it back with pomeade, as some of the other officers did. Ed stopped for a moment, taking in the sight of the man before him, his frame not too broad for the perfectly tailored suit, his face clean shaven, his hands lacking their familiar gloves. It was then that Ed noticed that Roy was holding something in his right hand.

Roy slid his hand open slightly, letting a long, somewhat thick silver chain dangle, at the bottom, Ed's familiar Flamel.

"I thought you might need a bit of jewelry," Roy said. "And I know how important this symbol is to you." Ed stepped closer, taking the Flamel in his covered right hand and traced over the silver symbol with his left hand. "I know you won't be able to wear your coat for some time."

Ed fought the urge not to tear up at the man's gesture while Roy unclasped the chain. He also couldn't control the heat coming to his face as Roy approached him, putting very little distance between them as he clasped it around the teen's neck, while Ed moved his hair out of the way.

"I tried not to make it too feminine," Roy said as his arms circled around Ed's neck. "I didn't want to get smacked for giving you girly jewelry."

"You made this?"

"Well, you can't actually buy that pendant at the local jewelry store." Roy smiled warmly down at Ed, not going unnoticed by the teen before he touched the silver snake and cross at his neck.

"Thank you," Ed said, unable to find a smart aleck remark that didn't seem hugely inappropriate after receiving the thoughtful gift.

"Are you uncomfortable in those?" Roy asked, gesturing to the clothes.

"No, but tell anyone else I admitted that, and I'll have to kill you."

"Yes, Fullmetal, I know. You threaten to kill me four or five times a day." Roy walked out of the guestroom ahead of Ed. "You don't look half bad, though."

Ed shoved Roy through the doorway with his right hand, making sure that despite the flesh-colored automail cover, Mustang would feel the poking of the metal fingertips. No sooner had Roy been forced into the hallway than Black Hayate and Carlida bounded through, the large dog chasing after his new tiny playmate. Roy stumbled backwards, having Ed brace him so he didn't fall, cursing the dog and the kitten.

"Ed," Roy said as he moved to stand on his own, "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No," Ed answered as Roy turned. Playfully, Ed tapped Roy with his hand. "It was honestly nice to catch you for once."

They moved together through the hall, Ed rubbing his hands on the pants, searching for pockets he knew weren't there, one of the most irritating flaws in the clothes.

"Now, Fullmetal," Roy said as the walked to the stairs, moving to the wall side so that Ed could grasp the railing, "I don't want you arguing or fighting with me when I try to do something for you or you don't like something I do. You will be playing the part of my date, and neither of us wants anyone to guess who you are."

"I won't say anything, but don't be surprised if I let you know anyway." Ed looked at himself in the hall mirror. "Are you sure no one will guess who I am?"

"I couldn't imagine it." Roy opened the door for the teen. "We'll be taking the car."

"I don't mind the walk."

"But what kind of a date would I be if I made you walk?"

Roy stepped out of the door, offering Ed his arm, for which the now-brunette gave him a tiny glare, but offered his right hand. Roy shut the door, moving Ed toward the railing and wrapping the automail hand more tightly around his arm as they walked down the stairs together toward the car waiting at the front gate. Ed could see Roy patting the hand that held onto his left arm, and he wondered if Roy considered the fact that there was no feeling in the hand he was so gently touching. It had to be something he was doing instinctually, but Ed had to admit that to any observer, it looked quite affectionate.

When they reached the car, Roy opened the door for Ed and guided him in, once again earning an expression of dislike. The colonel shut the door then took his seat beside Ed.

"I'm impressed. You're doing quite well."

Ed said nothing, only rolled his eyes as he looked out the window at the passing scenery as Roy drove them to the restaurant.

"So, what are we going to call you?" Roy asked.

"Just go with Carlida."

"The cat?"

Ed shrugged. He figured the name was something he would pay attention to, since Roy yelled it out at the house at least three times a day. The cat liked Roy, but always seemed to be underfoot at the most inopportune moments for the Flame Alchemist.

Roy parked the car near the main entrance to the restaurant, very near a women's clothing store. Ed couldn't help but notice as Roy left the car, one of the clerks caught sight of him and signaled for the others to watch. Ed almost didn't notice Roy wagging a finger at him as he tried to leave the car on his own. Sighing, Ed waited for Mustang to pull open the door, offering Ed his hand to help him out of the vehicle.

"Roy, why are the women at that store staring?"

"That's where I got your clothes. They helped me find out what size you'd be. I told them I needed clothes for my girlfriend. I'm guessing they're a bit curious."

"Girlfriend?"

"First thing to come to mind."

"How many of them have you dated?" Ed asked as he stood from the car.

"I think all of them under the age of thirty." Ed grimaced. "Jealous, Carlida?"

Ed curled a finger for Roy to bend down, which he did. "Screw you, Mustang," Ed whispered in his commander's ear. Roy's only response was a smirk.

Once again, Roy put Ed on the left side, putting the metal hand on his arm. Just as before, Roy rubbed the hand as he led the teen forward, toward a classy-looking restaurant with huge walnut doors. Once again, Roy opened the door for Ed, who wasn't sure he liked being treated this way, and questioned if all of the women the colonel dated had possibly felt the pampering was a bit much. Though, there were some gestures that Ed enjoyed, like the way Roy placed his hand in the small of Ed's back as they entered the restaurant.

The minute they entered, Ed couldn't help but notice as the hostess smiled immediately at Roy, then looked down at the person in the blue shirt next to him. The shock on her face was obvious, and Ed could hear Roy grunt as his grip on the older man's arm tightened out of fear, terrified that the waitress realized Ed wasn't a girl.

"Mr. Mustang," she said, her eyes glancing up at the dark-haired man before returning to Ed, "would you care for a seat upstairs or would you prefer downstairs?"

Roy wrapped his arm around Ed's shoulders and began rubbing the smaller alchemist's left arm. "I think downstairs." Ed was grateful, knowing that his foot and ankle were somewhat swollen, and looking up at the colonel, that thought seemed to have crossed the older man's mind.

The hostess led them to a seat, and Ed saw that every member of the staff in the business seemed to not only recognize Roy, but showed the same shock at Ed's appearance beside him. As they were seated and handed their menus, Ed leaned across the table, careful not to catch the menu on fire as he held it over the candle at the center.

"Come here often?" Ed asked with a raised eyebrow.

"For most of my dates."

"I feel cheap," Ed said with a false pout on his face. "Can I order anything I want?"

"Of course. I provide one free dinner out to anyone who's carrying my kid."

"Do I get two dinners out, since they're twins?"

Two amused dark eyes peered over the menu. When the waitress came, Roy had to introduce Ed, as the woman considered the colonel a sort of friend, since he frequented the place so much. They placed their order after Ed had made some unusual changes to his own meal, which the waitress, seeing Ed's condition, seemed to understand, but looked disgusted by nonetheless.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Outside of the building a set of blue eyes stopped suddenly on the scene of the colonel and the brunette woman sitting at the front window of the restaurant. The dark-haired man was running his fingers over the woman's left hand, while she looked as though she was fighting not to move it back from his touch. From the observer's point of view, the woman looked barely that. If she was eighteen, she couldn't only have been so for a day. Was the colonel trying to get them early?

The woman, no, girl, started to stand, then sat back down, putting her hands over her face, embarrassed. She leaned forward to the colonel, saying something that made the alchemist chuckle. He replied something back, making the brunette bury her face in her hands before standing and shocking the hell out of their unseen observer.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Roy chuckled, wondering if Ed had managed to make it to the women's bathroom with few difficulties. Watching the teen realize that he was going to have to use the ladies room had been priceless, that endearing blush rising to his cheeks. The colonel was honestly surprised at how amenable Fullmetal had been thus far. Despite his warning, Roy had honestly expected a battle from the teen, possibly even looked forward to it, but it seemed that Ed was so grateful to simply be out the house after a month of near captivity that even this was tolerable in exchange.

When Ed returned, hand on his stomach in discomfort, Roy looked up at him in concern. Ed put his automail hand on the man's shoulder. "It's just the muscles tensing. I'm fine." Ed sat across from Roy. "The first time it happened, Gracia was there, thank goodness, because I thought I was going to deliver in the study. It took her ages to calm me down, and I think I scared Elysia a little."

"So, you're okay?"

"Perfectly fine, Mustang." In shock, Roy watched as Ed placed his hand toward the middle of the table. The last time, Roy had caught the teen by surprise while he was talking about something with alchemy drawing an imaginary transmutation circle on the table. With interest, the older alchemist had watched as each thought became readable on the teen's face as his own hand traced over each of Fullmetal's slightly rough fingers.

This time, it seemed Ed was inviting it, turning his own hand palm up. Roy placed his own on the former blond's, his fingers tickling over the soft wrist.

"Your hands are softer than mine." Roy said nothing to Ed's statement, a hint of Archer's teasing flashing across his memory. "It's nice. Mine kind of feels like sandpaper, and the other one, well... Yours don't scratch when you feel for the babies."

Roy couldn't fight the gratified expression on his face. Some of the women he had dated, even Riza, had teased that his hands were smoother than their own--Riza's were always callused on her right hand more than the left, particularly on her trigger finger.

But Fullmetal didn't care.

The colonel clasped onto Ed's hands and flipped positions on the table, bringing the teen's hand to his lips. Gold eyes looked at the colonel, astonished. "What was that for?"

"Nothing," Roy said. "I told you I'd be treating you like a date."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 **

_First _

"So what the hell are we here for?" Breda said as he stood behind a vehicle cross the street from a restaurant.

"To watch the colonel."

"What, Havoc? Did he steal another girlfriend?" the stout man asked.

"No. Just take a look, moron. Do you see the girl in there with him? And by girl, I mean girl. She looks like a kid."

Breda peered over the top of the car into the restaurant. "What about it? So the colonel has found a young one. Not saying I approve, but what's the big deal?" The two men could hear the panting of Cain Fuery long before he ever got there. "You need to get in shape, man," Breda said as Fuery reached them, dressed in uniform.

"I ran all the way here from my apartment. Havoc said it was important, an emergency."

"He's full of crap," Breda said, leaning against the car at his back. "He's just jealous. Mustang got to another one before him."

Fuery looked at Havoc in disapproval. "Personally, I say if the colonel has been able to find someone who makes him happy after Lieutenant Hawkeye, why should any of us care?"

Havoc glared at his two friends. "And what are the rules about who the colonel will date?"

Fuery raised an eyebrow as Breda answered. "Within ten years of his age and no family attachments. He keeps it pretty simple."

"Well, this one looks like he's breaking both." With that, the other two men turned and watched.

Havoc took a puff on a cigarette as Mustang stood from the table, offering a hand to his date. When she stood, Fuery gasped.

"Are you sure they're dating, Havoc?"

"They were holding hands, talking, looking all lovey-dovey. They're on a date, Heymans."

"Couldn't she be a cousin or something? I mean, the colonel just doesn't date pregnant women," Fuery said. "He always says he wants no attachments."

"Yeah, well, that's exactly what I'm curious about."

Behind black-rimmed glasses, Fuery's eyes looked almost shocked. "You think the baby is the colonel's?"

Another puff. "I'm wondering. And if it is, it means the bastard cheated on Lieutenant Hawkeye with this girl or the other way around."

Roy led Ed out of the restaurant, taking the teen's left hand in his own, intertwining their fingers together as they walked. It was a short distance to the movie theater, and though Roy probably would have driven Ed to the front door had he been farther along in the pregnancy, he knew the teen wouldn't stand for it. Roy realized his pampering might have seemed a bit smothering, but it wasn't his intention. He was good with women because he tried to anticipate what they wanted or needed before they actually did, and he didn't intend for it to be any different tonight--though usually by attending to a woman's needs, they attended to his own, a thought which didn't cross his mind tonight.

They had only passed two stores when he felt that the young alchemist had stopped moving and had gone rigid.

"R-roy," Ed stammered. "Roy!" Roy turned, seeing Ed absolutely frozen in front of a store window.

Roy tried to turn Ed around, but the former blond was frozen in place, staring in absolute terror at the store he was facing. Finally, the taller man placed himself between Ed and the cause of this sudden fear.

"What is it?"

"We don't have any of this. None of it, and we need to get it in duplicate." Roy glanced over his shoulder, finding they were standing in front of a baby store. "The room for them is still full of boxes, doesn't have any paint. We don't have a crib, and I don't even know what half of that stuff in there even is."

Roy looked at the store, realizing that Ed's fear was contagious, as he felt his own heart speeding its pace. Fullmetal was absolutely right. They were more than halfway through the pregnancy, and they still had to get the nursery ready. Before saying a word, Roy took a deep breath to calm his own nerves.

"We have an hour before the movie and the store's still open. Let's have a look around, okay?" Ed remained frozen. Roy grabbed either side of Ed's face. "Look at me, we'll go in right now, and at least get an idea of what we need."

"But paint? We'll need paint too."

"And we'll find some, but we'll have to pick carefully." Roy's hands moved down to Fullmetal's stomach, rubbing the round bulge. "I think the kids are going to have enough issues with gender roles, as Riza used to put it, to do pink and blue."

Finally, Ed seemed to have relaxed, wrapping his hands around Roy's waist and burying his face in the older man's chest. "Yeah," he said, somewhat muffled. "I can imagine trying to explain how they have one mommy and two daddies is going to be hard as hell."

Roy placed his chin on the dyed brunette head, and spotted a single blue uniform across the street. It wasn't unusual to see someone in military garb, but Roy didn't want Ed noticing them and panicking again. "Come on, let's get inside."

Inside the baby store, Ed saw an elderly woman approach them, asking them what they were looking for, to which Ed responded, "Everything," in the somewhat quiet, raspy voice he'd used all night, refusing to make it a higher pitch to play the part of a pregnant woman.

"We're having twins, they're our first, and we need quite literally everything," Roy said as he stood behind Ed, his hands sneaking their way around his waist to the teen's belly. The woman's eyes glinted with the prospect of a very large sale.

"Well, let's start with cribs." The woman showed the "happy couple" several designs and colors. Ed immediately spotted one in dark wood that had two pins at either side.

"That one. Two of that one." Ed pointed. Roy looked at him curiously. "Al and I never slept a sound night without some kind of movement. We're going to have two babies, and if they've both inherited that, we're going to need these. You pull out the pins and they rock. Movement."

When they were about halfway through the store and had chosen high chairs, diaper changing table, bassinettes, and mobiles, Roy pulled out his watch.

"Are we late for the movie?" Ed asked.

"No, we still have twenty minutes."

Ed began going over in his mind everything they had purchased. "Do you notice a pattern with what we're picking out?"

"That it's all big, bulky and does twenty different things? I noticed that."

Ed pulled Roy down to his level. "We are behaving like two typical men trying to shop. That's fine for you, but for me…"

"I prefer it this way," Roy whispered back. "No arguments." He straightened up and put the watch in his pocket.

"Sir, your watch…" the woman said. "Are you a state alchemist?"

Deciding to take the opportunity to make Roy feel uncomfortable for his own enjoyment, Ed pressed his cheek to Roy's arm and rubbed his hand on the older man's chest. "This is Colonel Roy Mustang. The former great womanizer and current Flame Alchemist." Ed traced a finger over Roy's jaw, smiling that Mustang's name even had an effect here. "That's right. No one ever thought they'd tame him, but it's amazing what a man will do when" Ed moved his hand to rub his stomach. "children are involved."

Almost catlike, Ed moved his cheek along the smooth pinstripe sleeve. When he was done, he looked up, finding that beneath the dark hair, the pale skin was turning a bit pink. For as often as Ed had turned crimson in the man's presence, the teen wanted to see if he could darken that color just a bit.

Ed slithered his hand upward, adjusting the tie around the man's neck, then smoothing the red article of clothing, fingers dipping just below the buttoned coat jacket. Glancing up at the face above him, Ed saw he had achieved his goal. "He gets so easily embarrassed. I don't know why."

Ed gave the older alchemist a mischievous smirk, as Mustang said, "I think if we stay much longer, we're going to miss the movie. We have a good start on the baby supplies, at least enough to make me bankrupt."

"Then it's a good thing I've gotten my salary back," Ed said.

Roy gave the woman instructions for delivering their purchases, with the request that they arrive at the colonel's house the next day. With it being Mustang's day off tomorrow, there was the possibility of getting some of the moving and work in the nursery accomplished. When they left the store, arm in arm, Mustang turned Ed to face him.

"What was all that about?"

"I wanted to make you squirm a little. After all, you have been treating me like your date all night long. I just thought I'd reciprocate." Ed folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not usually touchy-feely, but you made me hold hands with you in the restaurant and have held my hand as we walked, so I thought I'd have a little fun with you."

Roy held Ed by the shoulders, a smirk on his face. "Are we playing games now? Because if you behave like you did in the store, I might have to…" Roy's eyes looked up.

"Might have to what? Roy?"

"We have an audience."

Ed glanced over his shoulder and saw Breda's rather plump body. "Crap!" He turned back and looked up at the man in front of him. "Is it just Breda?"

"No, it's Havoc and Fuery too."

"Shit!" Ed buried his face in Roy's shirt. "They'll figure me out. They'll know who I am."

"So far, you aren't exactly acting like yourself." Roy draped his arms over Ed's shoulders, as though trying to add to the appearance of a date for the three men across the street. He leaned closer to Ed. "As long as you don't behave like Edward Elric, no one will suspect." He placed his chin at the top of Ed's head. "I had a thought. There is at least one thing you would never do, and it would give them a good show." In dismay, Ed looked up at Roy. "What do you say?"

Roy was being so casual about this, but Ed could feel his left hand sweating as it and the automail one still clung to the lapels of the man's jacket. "Wait. I don't… I haven't…"

"If you don't want to, I'm not going to force you."

"It's just I've never…"

"You mean you've never had your first kiss?" The shock on Roy's face was humiliating.

"No. Some of us are too preoccupied to try and get ourselves laid every five minutes."

"I didn't mean to sound so surprised. I just had no idea." Roy moved his hands down to Ed's sides. "We don't have to."

Ed blushed, cursing the man for once again turning him the color of a tomato. "I didn't mean to stop you. It's just you said you were going to make it good for them. I just wanted you to know it would be my first, and you needed to make it good for me, too. I'm willing to do this if it will keep them from guessing."

"I'm not going to steal your first kiss."

Mumbled into the ground, Ed said, "You can't steal what's being offered to you."

Ed swallowed, tilting his head upward, hands on Roy's lapels trembling just a bit. The dark-haired man bent down, moving his right hand from Ed's side and up to cup his cheek. "I don't want you to regret this. You can't take back your first, and there's nothing worse than to spend a lifetime wishing you could."

Ed slid his left hand up the man's chest and curled it around the back of Roy's neck. "Just do it, Mustang."

Ed was as far up as his height and swollen foot and ankle would allow, which left the actual meeting of their lips to Mustang, and for some time, Ed thought it would never happen. He had just barely closed his eyes when he felt Roy's lips brushing against his own, gentle, finding their way to the bottom lip, which they slowly began to plunder, drawing it into Roy's slightly parting mouth.

The man tasted of peppermint and smelled faintly of smoke. His lips were not as smooth as Ed might have expected, based upon his hands, but they were gentle and full against Ed's own thin, slightly chapped lips. He didn't even try to fight the slight moan that escaped him or the fact that his hand tightened in the jet black hair. He trembled a bit as Roy practically hummed against Ed's lips.

When they pulled back from one another, Ed had a pleased grin on his face. "I knew I wouldn't regret it."

He laid his head against Roy's chest, his stomach bumping as he did, a reminder of the only reason why he'd received the kiss in the first place.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 **

_Ice Cream and Potato Chips _

Roy sat beside Ed, each holding a box of popcorn as they took their seats, Fullmetal on Roy's right, on the aisle so that he could make the twenty trips he would likely need to take to the bathroom, without disturbing anyone. Roy felt like a thief for taking that kiss, and when he looked at the teen, he couldn't help but feel guilty. Though Ed had assured him that he didn't feel a sense of remorse over their kiss, Roy swore he saw sadness in that amber gaze.

He sat his drink on the floor as well as the popcorn and twisted his body to the smaller one at his side. Ed was sitting, elbow on his armrest, fingertips on his lips.

"Are you okay?"

"Hm?" Fullmetal said, tilting his head to face Roy. "Oh, I'm fine."

Roy tucked the dyed brown hair behind Ed's ear. "You're crying. It was the kiss, wasn't it?"

"No, it's just the hormones, Colonel, don't worry." Ed sighed, seemingly unaware he had. "You seem really worried about how I feel about it. I told you it was really good." Ed rubbed his eyes with his human hand. "Was there something wrong with your first kiss?"

At the bittersweet memories that question evoked, Roy felt his lips turn up almost at their own volition. "No, my first kiss was fine. Strange, but fine."

"Do you mind me asking about it?"

"No."

"Who was she?"

"Maes." With that said, Roy took a moment to savor the expression of shock on Ed's face.

"H-how?"

Roy reached under the seat and pulled out his drink, taking a sip before replacing it. "I was twelve, and Maes was fourteen. He'd been my best friend as long as I could remember, and were both taking dates to the upcoming dance at our school, when, we decided, we were going to take the move and have our first kiss. Maes was pretty embarrassed that at fourteen he hadn't managed to have his, and being his best friend, I was determined to do everything the same time he did and rub it in that I managed to do it two years younger than he had. But, we were both nervous that we'd do something gross or stupid to our dates while we were trying to kiss them. My date, I was pretty sure had never had her first kiss, but Maes knew his already had, a fact which I could vouch for. She'd have known the difference between a good kisser and an inexperienced one."

Roy looked to Ed, his gold eyes watching intently.

"While I was spending the night at Maes's house, we decided to give it a shot on one another, to make sure we didn't screw our kiss up. After our first attempt on one another, we realized how terrible we both were, and spent an hour trying to get it right."

"So you practiced on one another?" Ed asked. "That doesn't really count."

"That's what we decided. We went to the dance, but poor Maes's date decided she preferred the sports hero who didn't wear glasses and left him at the dance. Mine decided that she was too young to have her first kiss, adding that she wasn't even certain she wanted it from me." Roy hadn't even noticed until this moment that he had laid his hand over Fullmetal's on the armrest they shared. "Being a stupid kid, I bragged to all of my friends that I was going to have my first kiss that night, and they were all expecting details. Lying has not been one of my fortes, and I wasn't sure how to face my classmates with 'details' on my first kiss if it hadn't really happened. On the walk home with Maes, I remember just looking up at him and saying, 'I told everyone that I was going to have my first kiss tonight, and damn it, I am.' So, I grabbed Maes by the face and pulled him down into our first kiss."

"What did he say?"

"'Wow.' It was really very flattering." Roy squeezed the hand beneath his own. "Though, 'I knew I wouldn't regret it,' goes right up there in my book."

Ed turned his head away and rested his head on his right hand as the movie began. Roy adjusted their hands to put his own beneath Fulllmetal's, a better fit, his being the longer of the limbs.

When they returned to Roy's house, after realizing that the three men from the office had followed them into the theater and back to the house, the colonel placed a kiss on Ed's cheek before opening the door for them both and ushering Ed inside.

"I hope you had a good time," Roy said as he placed his keys in a plate on the small table in the hall.

"I did."

"You might want to get a bath to get that stuff off out of your hair." Roy squirmed a little. "If you aren't completely exhausted, I'll fix us some kind of snack."

"After all the food and popcorn, you think I'm still going to be hungry?"

Roy fished below his collar. "Well, you flicked half of your popcorn at me." He pulled out a piece from the back of his shirt and tossed it at Ed, smacking him square in the nose.

Ed reached in the front of his shirt and pulled out a kernel. "So did you, Colonel Bastard." He threw it at Roy, hitting him in the chest.

"Okay, so we both could use a snack. What would you like?"

"Ice cream and potato chips."

"Separate or together?"

"Together." Ed traipsed down the hall, making his way up to his bedroom and into the bath. Grateful that the bathroom at least had a shower, he climbed in the bathtub, trying not to let memories of his first kiss cloud his thought process too much. What did he expect? He was carrying Roy's kids and the older alchemist was merely trying to keep their secret. Using as much shampoo as he could, Ed washed his hair, desperate to get as much of the brown gunk out of it as he could.

It was little wonder that Mustang managed to be so successful with women. That kiss had been incredible, so tender, yet enough to still make Ed's legs want to melt. He only wished it had meant something, anything. Perhaps like Mustang, he had simply shared his first kiss with a friend. But unlike Mustang, Ed's first kiss had also been with the person he'd had a mild crush on for the last year.

Satisfied that as much of the brown stuff was out as was coming out, Ed stepped out of the tub, drying his body off. He didn't know if he would get used to this. It felt as though he was an alien in someone else's body. The only things about it that looked familiar anymore were his automail. The chest was strange, the stomach ever enlarging, his body swollen everywhere else. It all felt so unnatural. He grabbed the nightshirt that Roy had first dressed him in after he'd woken up in blood. He hated to admit that he liked the thing, but it was one of the few things left that didn't constrict over his stomach or chest while he slept.

Ed made his way back downstairs, his automail limb making his walk sound uneven on the wooden floor. He was met in the hallway by Mustang, who carried two bowls of ice cream.

"Much better." Mustang said as they walked into the study together. "I prefer you as a blond."

The two sat on the sofa, Roy handing Ed his ice cream and potato chips. Ed fidgeted, trying to get comfortable. He heard a clank as the bowl with spoon still inside was set on the nearby table.

"Ed, turn a bit. Put your back toward me." Ed did as instructed and faced away from the man, almost moaning as he felt those strong hands moving over his shoulders and down his back. "Feeling better?"

"Much," Ed said, using the word to cover over the moan that he had been holding in. "Why are you so considerate?"

"Because I want to be."

"Because of the babies."

"Well, I don't think I'd be doing some of the things I have been if it weren't for them." Ed nodded. "I can't really imagine you wanting ice cream with soggy chips if you weren't pregnant."

Ed turned, putting his back to the sofa. "Thanks for the massage." He began scooping the melting chocolate ice cream into his mouth.

"Ed? What is it? You've been sad all night. Was it the kiss?"

Ed slammed the spoon into the bowl. "Why are you so worried about that kiss. It wasn't the kiss, okay. I just wonder if I wasn't a human incubator if you'd be treating me this good. It felt more natural when you glared at me and got angry whenever I put any claim on the kids. Yes, I know why you did it. Now I'm waking up to you holding me, you're kissing me, and I just don't get it."

Roy grabbed Ed's face between his hands, squeezing his lips into a ridiculous fish expression, chocolate ice cream still lingering on them. "Do you really think I'm being this nice to you just because of them?"

"Yesh," Ed answered, face pressed by Roy's hands.

"Ed, look at me in the eyes."

"Not giving me much choish."

"No I'm not." For the second time that night, Roy planted his lips on Ed's, the sensation being somewhat odd, as his own were still parted by the force of Roy's hands on his cheeks. He wanted to just melt into the kiss, but instead squirmed away. "Ice cream and potato chips," Roy mumbled to himself before turning to Ed, as though beginning a lecture. "Now, you may have preferred your first kiss to have been from Winry or--"

"Winry? Yeck! That would be like kissing my sister."

"Then another pretty girl--"

"What ever gave you the impression I wanted my first kiss to be from a girl, Colonel Bastard?" For once, it seemed Ed had caught the colonel speechless, and with a gratified smirk, Ed ate more of his ice cream. "But you, I never would have expected to like men."

"I've always appreciated beauty in all its forms, masculine or feminine, Edward." Ed placed his bowl down on the table beside him and turned to the man beside him.

"And what am I?"

"Right now? A little of both," Roy turned to face Ed to know he was half-joking.

"Bite me."

"Don't tempt me," Roy said with an evil smirk.

"Bastard."

Ed grabbed that face, determined to wipe the smirk off, and pulled it to his own, mashing his lips against his superior officer's, allowing his tongue to dart out between his lips, seeking for Mustang to allow him access. When Roy actually parted his lips, Ed put his own tongue inside of the other man's mouth, not really sure what to do once it was in there. As though sensing Ed's confusion, Roy moved his own tongue against Ed's guiding it how to move, pushing Ed's pink organ around inside of his mouth. Getting the idea, Ed took the kiss over, exploring the other man's hot, wet mouth to become nearly as familiar with it as he was with his own.

When he pulled away, Ed looked at Roy. "You got to take the lead in my first kiss. I wanted the lead when I did that for the first time."

Roy ran a hand along the side of Ed's cheek.

"So what does this mean?" Ed asked.

"I am not sure."

At that, Carlida hopped onto Ed's lap. Behind her, Black Hayate followed, hopping onto Roy's, knocking the wind out of the older man, earning a laugh from the blond. In apology, the dog proceeded to lick every square inch of Roy's pale face, while Carlida purred contentedly against Ed's sensitive stomach so loudly, he felt certain that the babies were vibrating.

Beside him, Roy was pushing the dog's head down, trying to command it to be still. Finally, once the dog was calmed down, the colonel wiped his face. "I think I prefer your tongue to his."

Ed jabbed Roy in the arm with his elbow. "Now, why did you have to ruin a perfectly nice moment by saying something like that, you dirty old man."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 **

_**Friendly Confrontation **_

Back at the office, Kain Fuery's words were falling on deaf ears. "Why should we be so upset if the colonel is happy? When was the last time that you saw him have a popcorn fight with anyone? Or smile like he did last night?"

Kain felt wrong, standing, discussing the colonel's love life in the office that Falman shared with the other warrant officers--empty at the moment, as many who worked on the floor had the day off.

"He did with the lieutenant." Havoc was fighting with a pack of matches, struggling to light just one to put to the cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Well, not the popcorn fight," Breda said. "She'd have killed him first."

"And how are you even sure the kid is his?" Falman asked. Fuery was so grateful there was at least one person blessed with a little common sense, as he seemed to be at least considering options to Havoc's adulterer theory.

"The colonel and the girl asked that everything be sent to his house. I managed to find that out, but the clerk was pretty tightlipped about anything," Havoc said, finally getting the match to light. "And we all know the colonel doesn't 'do' the family thing."

"The woman at the store didn't want to talk to you because you looked ready to kill, Havoc." Breda leaned back on Falman's desk.

"Get off of that. I don't want you breaking it," the warrant officer ordered, receiving a hand gesture from the heavier-set man.

"Until we can talk to the colonel," Fuery said, "we won't know anything."

As though on cue, the topic of their discussion walked by the open door.

"Colonel!" Havoc yelled, running like a madman out the door.

"Shit!" came an uncommon cry from the dark-haired man in the hallway. The other three ran to the door, trying to squeeze their way through, wedging themselves quite successfully in the process. From his perspective, Fuery could see the colonel moved with remarkable speed to keep ahead of the charging blond.

"Get back here. I only want to talk to you," Havoc said, unbelievably.

"If you only want to talk," Mustang said, "then why are you chasing your commanding officer?"

"Because he's running like a fugitive."

The colonel reached his office and stuck his key in the door, only to have Havoc reach him, swiping to grab a hold of the older man's collar, but by some stroke of luck, the brunette ducked and dodged.

"I've never seen the colonel move like that," Breda said.

It was true, he managed to evade Havoc remarkably well, despite being about four years the blond's senior, and unaccustomed to hand to hand.

"Listen, Havoc, I don't have time to be interrogated."

"You're going to see her? The _kid_ you were out with last night?"

Mustang managed to get back to his door, turn the keys and slip inside. Before Havoc could even react, the shorter man had shut the door in his face. From the hallway, the four men--the other three had finally extricated themselves from the doorway--struggled with Mustang's office door. They could hear the phone ringing inside his office.

"Hello?" There was a pause. "I told you I had to come here... Yes I already got it... Exactly the color we agreed on... I'll pass there after I get my paperwork and get away from _four nosy subordinates_, three of whom should be taking the day off..." That last part was obviously for the men outside to let them know he was aware they were eavesdropping. "We're out of pickles? What kind?... Okay, I'll get some on my way home... I know, not the ones with the peppers, the sweet kind... I know I bought the wrong ones last time... Listen, I won't be long."

Havoc gestured to the rest as though to signal, "would anyone talk this way if the kid wasn't his?"

"We'll never get him," Kain said. "The colonel has a way of getting out of here that no one knows. Not even Lieutenant Hawkeye knew how he did it."

"Falman is it your lunch break yet?" Havoc said.

"In ten minutes."

"You're taking it ten minutes early." Havoc said, puffing on his neglected cigarette. "I can think of one person who might know something, and I know where we should be able to find him."

0o0o0o0o0

Ed sat at Roy's desk, trying to focus on the papers and research he'd received from Al and Major Armstrong. It had come at about the same time as the dozens of boxes of baby furniture the two expecting parents had bought the night before. At the very least, the research gave Ed an excuse not to be trying to haul those boxes to the nursery in his current condition, which Roy emphatically and threateningly instructed him not to attempt.

He laid his hand against his cheek as he rested his elbow on the desk, remembering that Roy had woke him up with breakfast in bed, pressing a gentle kiss to the forehead. Ed had beamed up at the older man while accepting the pancakes covered in a thick, sugary blueberry syrup. Begrudgingly, he even drank the milk on the tray, knowing that it held vitamins necessary for the babies.

If that didn't prove his determination, nothing did.

Sitting there, thumbing through the research his little brother so dutifully did, Ed hadn't the heart to admit that only half of the stacks of papers and notebooks were worth anything, and less than half of that were things that Ed himself didn't already know.

As he opened another file, he heard the door open.

"Roy?" he called out, struggling to stand from the desk chair, but failing miserably.

"No, Boss, it's me."

Ed's eyes widened as he struggled to pile every piece of paper in front of him and pull himself to the desk without ramming his swollen chest or stomach into it. "Lieutenant? What are you doing here?" He had successfully made himself a floating head over a sea of paperwork, and was quite satisfied with the result, even if he was angry he'd had to do it in the first place. Seeing the four men from the office, he could have almost cried in frustration. "Don't come over here!" he said, a little more frantic than he'd intended. Quickly covering, he added, "You'll mess up all my research from Al and Armstrong." The four men situated themselves around the library, Falman and Havoc taking the two wing chairs and Breda puling up the ottoman. Fuery, alone, remained standing.

"Boss," Havoc said, a curious look on his face, "since when do you call the colonel, Roy?"

"Since he held my hair while I puked up my guts." It wasn't exactly at that moment, but close enough.

"Were things really bad?" Fuery asked, his puppy dog eyes showing his sense of guilt, though why he felt guilty, Ed didn't know. Of the bunch, Fuery was the only one who regularly called to check up on him.

"Yes." Ed couldn't do the guilt trip, much as he wanted to, hoping that making them feel uncomfortable would make them leave. "I was pretty particular about who I let around me. The only reason I dealt with the colonel at all was because he didn't give me a choice."

"Major," Havoc said, "we're here to ask you questions about the colonel's date last night. Since you've been staying here, we figure you know something about her."

Ed cleared his throat and scanned over a page of Armstrong's hand-written notes in front of him. "A little. What do you want to know?"

"He wants to know if she is pregnant with the colonel's baby," Falman said, "and he won't be satisfied to let any of us alone until he knows."

"Why does it matter?"

"Havoc's sure the colonel's gotten this girl pregnant because that's the only way he'd have been out with her," Breda explained. "He isn't exactly comfortable with families. But if the kid is his, then he got the girl pregnant while he was dating Lieutenant Hawkeye."

"Not to mention the fact that the colonel seems to be dating jailbait," Havoc muttered, trying to light a cigarette.

"Don't you dare light that thing in here," Ed said so sternly, the older men all stared at him. Though he once again had to cover a sudden outburst, his face showed no change in attitude as his voice had. "I'm not listening to Mustang complain."

Havoc stopped and put his cigarette and matches in his back pocket. "Sorry, Boss." He folded his arms around his chest. "Look, is the colonel going to get in trouble with this girl?"

Ed sighed as he heard the click of a door latch in the hallway. "You want to know about Roy's date?"

"Yes. How old is she?" Havoc asked.

"Under eighteen."

"I knew it," Havoc said. "We know she's pregnant, but are we going to have a colonel flashing baby pictures around the office?"

Ed's lips drew up in a smile, thinking of Roy showing his precious Nicholas and Aideen to the entire military, just as Hughes had always done with Elysia. Some of the deeper hurt gone, Ed even smiled at the memory of Hughes. "Double the pictures, I'm afraid. They're twins, a boy and a girl."

Ed glanced up at the man who'd appeared in the doorway.

"So Mustang went and knocked someone up," Breda said with his usual tact.

"Yes" the man at the back of the room said, "Riza told me two weeks before she died that she was pregnant. Apparently she had known a bit longer than that, but had been afraid to let me know. I tried so hard to keep her out of battle, but she would have none of it and would have gone in on her own, as a part of the military or not."

"Is that why you're dating someone who's going to have a baby?" Fuery asked, innocently.

"Roy, can you help me get out of this chair?" Ed said. "I'm stuck."

With a kind and playful smile, Roy walked over to Ed. "And what would you have done if I'd have had work today?"

"Called you home to get me out," Ed answered. Roy rolled his eyes as he walked by the confused men toward Ed. Wrapping his arm around the teen's back and grabbing his hands with his own, he pulled the blond up out of the chair. Because of Ed's height, nothing was revealed to the others when he stood, but when Ed stepped out from behind the desk and the papers atop it, there were audible gasps, and Breda rolled off the ottoman and onto the floor, unconscious.

"What the hell?" Falman said.

"One of the arrays I drew on the lieutenant wasn't to save her," Ed explained, "it was to save the babies. She'd told me she was pregnant. So, for almost three months, I've been carrying them." Ed rubbed both hands over his belly and noticed Havoc looking up from where the hands were moving. "And in order to keep them, I've been taking female hormones."

"That's incredible," Fuery said.

"That was what we thought."

Of the bunch, the only one brave enough to step forward was the bespectacled man. "May I?" he asked, holding out a hand. Ed moved his own away from the rounded bump. Fuery placed his right hand along one side of Ed's distended stomach and his left at the other.

"It doesn't freak you out?" Havoc asked from his chair, still appearing dumbstruck, but getting his point out just the same that touching a pregnant stomach was not something he commonly did.

"Sure, but only because it's the Major having them." He stopped for a moment. "I think I feel one of them moving. It's really faint, like it's shifting."

That's Nicholas. He moves constantly. Every once in a while, his sister will shift, but her movements tend to be more kicks and punches."

"You've named them already?" Falman asked as Breda grunted on the ground.

"Wasn't anyone going to check and see if I was okay?"

"You're talking," Falman said. "Sounds like your okay."

"Yes. We named them," Ed said, shifting Fuery's hands. "That one right there," he moved the hand to the lower right side of his stomach, "is Nicholas Maes. This one," he shifted the other hand more to the front left of his belly, "is Aideen Riza."

Fuery grinned. "I think I felt her elbow."

"That's nothing. Wait until she gets in a fight with her brother," Roy said, putting his hands on Ed's shoulders and squeezing the non-mechanical one--possibly the mechanical one as well, though Ed couldn't exactly feel it, only the pressure of his hand resting there.

"So you were the girl," Havoc said, still in shock. "But you let the colonel kiss you." He seemed to be trying to get a grasp onto the smaller mysteries before he moved on to the bigger ones.

"We knew you were there all along. We had to make it look realistic." Ed wasn't quite sure if he should say anything about what had happened the night before with the colonel. He wasn't even certain what he could call what they now were to one another. Baby before first kiss, let alone before sex of any kind was more than a tiny complicator in their relationship.

0o0o0o0o0

After Roy and Ed explained and re-explained the entire situation to the four officers, Falman had returned back to the office, and the other three remained, determined to make up for barging in and for not taking an interest in Ed's health sooner. Together with Roy, they moved boxes out of the room designated as the would-be nursery and completely stripped the bedroom of even the last scraps of curtains on the windows. The four men cleaned and scrubbed each wall before working on wallpapering and painting the room for the babies, with a hunter green paint at the bottom on the bottom five feet, with pale yellow wallpaper at the top with thin green stripes at the top. It wasn't overly masculine, but not so girlie that the two fathers would feel uncomfortable in the room, rocking the babies to sleep.

As they worked, the four men got to actually talk like friends, not co-workers, not colonel and subordinates, and Roy had to admit he liked it. He wished that Ed would have been there, but they had banished him from the room, afraid he might inhale paint fumes or something in the dust that could harm the twins.

"How did you learn to move like you did in the hallway at the office?"

Roy looked to Havoc. "You know how much the Elrics like to spar? Well, try having them both in your house, with one who shouldn't be going up against a giant suit of armor and another who still wants someone to fight with. So, I'm the best option for both of them. I'm getting rather good, though they could both kick my ass if they wanted to. Even Ed, in the state he's in, could still manage it."

"Speaking of Al, how's he doing with Armstrong?" Fuery asked, wiping his sweat-covered forehead with the back of his hand.

"The boy has the patience of a saint. It's remarkable how that kid manages to tolerate even the most obnoxious of Armstrong's traits."

"Like this one?" Breda asked, flexing his non-muscles and attempting an Armstrong-like sparkle.

"And how are you and the major getting along?" Fuery asked, once again climbing a ladder to hang one of the last pieces of the wallpaper.

Roy turned and faced the corner, feeling heat rise to his face as he began painting said corner. "We're getting along fine. He has his outbursts and threatens to kill me a little more often than when he isn't pregnant, but other than that, I'm actually enjoying his company."

"Never thought I'd see the day you two got along," Breda said.

"So does he have any idea your birthday is coming up next week?" Havoc said, taking long, even brush strokes as he smirked.

"No, and I'd rather he didn't."

"That's right!" Breda said, "As of next Thursday, you're officially an old man."

"Unless he's going to be one of those lame-asses who says, 'I'm twenty-nine and holding," Havoc said.

Roy extended a paint-splotched finger to his subordinates, saying, "That isn't meant for you Fuery, just the two idiots on the ground."

"You're going to be thirty?" a shocked voice said from the hallway.

"Ed, we told you not to come up here," Roy said, moving out from the room.

"You're practically old enough to be my father." Ed looked amused, and he only seemed to grow more so when he realized that Roy was not. Roy saw the teen was holding out a pitcher of lemonade in his automail hand and held several glasses under his left arm.

"What are you doing up here?"

"Five minutes up here isn't going to kill me, Roy," Ed said as he set the pitcher down on a table in the hall and began arranging the glasses around it. He began to pour the lemonade, and stopped for a moment. "This might be a little sweet. I don't like anything that's very tart, so if it's too bad, I won't be hurt if you don't drink it." He walked in the room, looking around at the progress the men had already made. "It looks really good," he said as he handed a glass to Havoc and up to Fuery. "Very good. If you ever quit the military, you could get jobs as paperhangers." With a slight waddle that Roy knew would only get more distinct as the babies grew, Ed left the room and returned with glasses for the colonel and Breda. "You on the other hand," he said to Roy, "shouldn't quit your day job." Ed was looking over at the corner where Roy had been painting only to keep from facing the others with brilliantly red cheeks.

"Why don't you get yourself a _little_ drink?" Roy asked with a smile, waiting for the explosion.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm short, you're old, big deal." Ed then lifted himself on his toes and pulled Roy down in for a quick, but more than passionate kiss. "And I think I'm going downstairs." As quickly as he could, Ed disappeared out the door, gone before Roy regained coherent thought and the others their ability to speak.

He had bested Roy. He left the colonel with his subordinates to explain what exactly that kiss was about.

He was going to kill that little blond when he got downstairs. That or make him follow through with what that little kiss promised.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22 **

_**Birthday **_

Roy stood in front of his office door on Thursday, glaring and admiring the banner hanging over the door. There was an undeniable feeling of being old, no longer the twenty-something quickly pushing his way through the ranks, now a thirty year old man, with two children on the way. Still, the man had all of his jet-black hair, and it remained entirely that color without even the discovery of the first gray hair. He was athletic, possibly more so than a few months before thanks to his teenaged…

No, he still hadn't come up with a name for what Edward was to him, a fact that had made the explanation to the subordinates following the teen's kiss all the more difficult.

Havoc came behind Roy and put an arm around his shoulders. "So, how do you like the banner?"

Roy didn't respond, only groaned. He hadn't exactly planned to announce to the entire Central office that he was thirty today, and at first had wanted to be angry. That was only until he overheard a general talking to his secretary saying he'd thought for sure the young colonel must have been older than that to have risen through the ranks and been so accomplished a soldier. He said he'd had no idea that the Flame Alchemist was still so young. It was rather reassuring. Maybe being thirty-something and moving his way through the upper echelons of the military was still an accomplishment.

Roy entered his office, ignoring Havoc and shutting the door behind him. He was honestly grateful that his most trusted soldiers were able to know of his and Ed's secret, though he might have preferred delaying letting them know _everything_.

That night, he'd found himself cornered against one of the still unpainted walls, three of his subordinates surrounding him to defend Ed and insist on knowing the colonel's intentions. It was like dealing with three older, overprotective brothers. Even Fuery had grown defensive of the young blond, particularly as he had gone through a total of six pregnancies with his older sisters and knew the how hormones and emotions can run high, affecting judgment. The shock that the colonel was interested in a man had seemed to have been ignored to defend that young man.

Standing in his office, Roy felt certain that the only one's judgment being affected was his own. Every minute seemed to be filled with images of the blond, his smiles, his laughs, the rotten grin on his face before he'd pelted Roy with popcorn. Even the more obnoxious traits, the temper, the stubbornness all became endearing. Surely the colonel had to be going senile with old age.

0o0o0o0o0

Ed was sitting inside of Dr. Knox's back office, fidgeting in his seat as the doctor entered the room.

"Hello, Major, how are the babies doing?"

"Very well. Very active." Ed moved so that the man could feel the two shifting inside. In the last week, they had decided to both take to rolling and punching, so sleep was becoming harder to come by at long intervals, despite the fact that it seemed that more and more Ed needed that sleep.

"That's good." Dr. Knox laid his hands on the teen's stomach, probably not feeling much through the material of his shirt. "It doesn't surprise me, with their parents." The doctor moved away and sat behind his desk. "So, what brings you here today?"

Ed cleared his throat. "The babies are fine, and I feel okay, hormonal, but okay, considering." The doctor looked at him expectantly. "I was wondering, with the babies and how things have changed, whether or not it would be possible for me…" Ed swallowed. "I mean, I'm starting a relationship with someone, I guess you could call it, and if we should want to…"

"You want to know how you can have sex?" Dr. Knox said with professionalism that Edward was undyingly grateful for. Ed nodded his head. "Well, there is a pamphlet, though I don't know how much use it will be to you, as a man."

"I've already seen it. Roy grabbed everything from the clinic that had the word 'pregnant' in its title. We have two on how to _get_ pregnant, which obviously isn't an issue," Ed said, smiling at his colonel's expense.

"Well, you are carrying the babies high, so it might be possible that certain positions you can manage without it affecting things too much." The doctor re-opened the pamphlet and showed Ed a few pictures that made him blush. "I believe you could manage this," he said, showing Ed a picture of a man taking a woman in missionary position. Pointing to the man, he added, "Of course, you will want to be careful not to slam too hard should your stomach get in the way. It is also possible that from behind, but both would need to be with very minimal body contact…"

Ed's thoughts drifted off for a moment, trying to imagine the colonel beneath him writhing and begging, asking him to go harder, faster. To imagine himself inside of the heat of the colonel's body, the friction. Before he knew it, the doctor was staring at him, finished explaining, and Ed had an aching hard-on. Still, he was with a colonel, and Ed didn't feel he could really expect to be on top, though images of the raven-haired man flushed and vulnerable did things to Ed that he couldn't even imagine.

"And if I'm not on top?"

"You mean having a woman on top?" the doctor asked. "I don't recommend it. That's a lot of added pressure on your hips and back."

"No." It seemed the doctor had only warned Ed not to use the birth canal as a measure of safety, not because he'd actually expected it.

The doctor nodded, knowingly. "Your friend out there? Should he be in here for this?"

Ed's eyes widened? "Kain? Hell no!" Ed could have doubled over in laughter. "He's a good friend and knows what's going on with the babies, but he's only here so that I don't have to worry the colonel about an unplanned doctor's visit. Roy panics a little every time I come here, even if it's just a check-up." Ed chuckled, his laughter dying a bit. "Me and Fuery."

"Fine, then you want to know about you and another man?"

"I know I have to be careful, and I shouldn't attempt sex with the opening made for the babies."

"I wouldn't recommend it, and as the nerves and muscles are lacking there that exist in a female's vagina, I would not imagine it would be pleasurable for either party." The doctor cleared his throat, the only sign that he was feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

"But, I mean, there are other ways… I know men have sex with one another, but will it do damage to the new opening?"

"If you are thoroughly stretched and nothing is torn in the process of the act, then, no, I don't believe it will be an issue, but you will have to have a patient and gentle partner. If there is any sign of tearing, you will have to stop. Not only is this vaginal-like opening somewhat closer to your anus than it is in women meaning a tear could affect both, but tearing could lead to infection which could be very harmful to the babies."

Then, the doctor looked to Ed seriously, and almost fatherly. "Now, if you are just starting a relationship with this person, I don't know that sex would be the best option immediately."

"I don't either," Ed answered. "I just wanted to know, for future reference. I don't think he'd agree to it right away, anyhow. He's trying to be so careful. I just wanted to know in case."

Whether Mustang would agree to it or not, the little discussion had put images into Ed's mind he really didn't need to be there. He still had a birthday party to throw and a present to prepare, and as long as he was standing at nearly full staff, he wasn't going to accomplish a whole hell of a lot.

0o0o0o0o0

Roy was getting home later than he'd hoped. Some birthday. Just before leaving, Havoc had dumped a short, but tedious pile of papers on his desk, telling Roy that they needed to be completed before the end of the day. By the time Roy had completed, he was going to be arriving home at his normal time, rather than the two hours early he'd planned.

When he walked in the door, he was surprised to find the house quite empty, not even the animals there to greet him.

"Edward?" Roy called, stepping through the hall and into the kitchen. "Black Hayate?" Ed didn't always come when called, but the dog usually did.

He could hear laughter coming from outside and the backdoor opened into the kitchen, showing Roy that on the porch, a party had already begun without him. Roy looked down to find how the door seemed to open on its own, finding Elysia, running to him, arms outstretched for him to pick her up.

"Happy Birthday, Uncle Roy!" she yelled happily as he lifted her into his arms and tossed her into the air.

"Did someone throw a party for me?" he asked her, smiling.

"Mm-hmm." She smiled. "Big brother Ed has been bossing everyone around."

"Hey!" shouted a pseudo-hurt voice from the porch. He walked over to Roy and the girl, poking her in the stomach and tickling a bit with his left hand. "I'm not being bossy." The little girl squealed and squirmed in Roy's arms, laughing as she did.

Ed smiled broadly at Roy, pulling the older man down to place a feather-light kiss on his cheek. "Happy birthday, you old fart."

"Ed said fart!" Elysia said laughing even harder.

"You're going to teach her some very bad habits," Roy said, setting the girl on the wooden floor of the porch. While he was crouched down, Roy turned to Ed's stomach, talking into it. After Ed's last official doctor's appointment a few days before, Roy had been informed the children's ears were almost completely developed and capable of hearing him. Ever since, he'd been using that small dodge ball-sized stomach like a microphone. "Hello Nicholas. Hello Aideen. It's your papa's birthday today, and your daddy's being a real jerk calling him old."

"Don't call me a jerk to our kids."

"Dr. Knox said they could hear me, not understand me, Ed." Roy began rubbing the belly, rising back to his full height as he did. He placed a kiss on the top of the blond hair, then turned to the others standing on the porch. Breda was downing a beer, two pointed birthday hats on his head like two horns. Roy knew he'd been off work for at least two hours, and in that time, he wondered how many beers the auburn-haired man had managed. Beside him, Fuery was distastefully milking a beer, not his favorite drink as Roy remembered--he said it looked and smelled too much like pee. He'd have to tell the young master sergeant there was an unopened bottle of vodka and some various sodas and juices the man could mix it with in the kitchen. He saw Havoc standing at a charcoal barbeque, cooking what looked like steak, with Gracia standing by, talking to the taller blond, holding a pan of sauce while the blond brushed it on the sizzling steaks.

"Is this why you piled all of those papers on my desk?" Roy asked.

"I could have done them myself, but the boss asked me to play chef, so you got to finish them." Roy saw two piles of gifts sitting against the banisters of the porch.

"They're using this as an excuse to have a baby shower," Ed explained. He pushed Roy back inside the kitchen. "Why don't you get something on that's more comfortable than your uniform so you can enjoy yourself?" Then, Ed wrapped his arms around Roy's neck. "I know they all know, but I'm not sure how comfortable they are yet." He stood again on tiptoe. "Damn, I wish you weren't a head taller than me."

"Actually, Ed, I'm not, not anymore. You coming close to my bottom lip now, I think you may have grown an inch."

"Big deal. A whole inch. It'd be nice to actually look you in the eyes." Roy bowed his head down so they were doing exactly that, meeting at their foreheads, noses pressed against one another.

"Like this?" the colonel asked before tilting his head and kissing the young blond. He darted his tongue out slightly, finding that Fullmetal had already parted his lips, anticipating his actions. Ed tilted his head to the side, to allow them both greater access as their tongues explored their mouths. Though the kiss and the teen's gentle moans were absolutely arousing, the faint tinge of vinegar and salt from the pickles he constantly ate was somewhat unpleasant. Flesh and metal hands began sliding their way under Roy's uniform coat, skimming around on the white dress shirt, and all thoughts about the faint flavor of pickles vanished.

Surprisingly, it was Ed who ended the kiss, pulling back, lips puffy and a flush to his face. "Roy, you need to go and get changed, and I need to get back out there. If I don't, they'll think we were doing something in here more than just kissing."

Not that Roy would mind doing a little more, but he didn't dare say that to the teen. He didn't want Ed to feel obligated, and he didn't want to speed the blond into another first time, he'd done that enough already.

Roy walked away from the blond, unwillingly and went to his bedroom to change.

0o0o0o0o0

The meal had been pretty good. Ed doubted Havoc would have done such a good job at cooking if Gracia hadn't been there to guide him, keeping him from burning them to a crisp. Still, Havoc received the credit, while everyone silently told Gracia they appreciated her part in this. After sitting in the wooden chair for so long, Ed could hardly move, his flesh foot swollen and stiff. Roy offered Ed an arm to lean on once he got to his feet and walked him to a comforter stretched out on the grass of the back yard. The older man lowered him down gently. Gracia took a seat beside him while Black Hayate came running over, ball in his mouth.

He plunked the ball at Ed's side. "I'm sorry boy," Ed said, scratching the dog behind the ears. "I need to stretch out my leg."

The large dog nudged the ball against Ed's thigh. Roy bent down and picked up the ball. "Come on, boy. You want to play?"

Roy tossed the ball, his lean, slightly more muscular body moving in perfect form as the ball left his right hand and landed across the lawn. He was wearing a lightweight black shirt, and a pair of tan pants that clung just enough to the lower half of his body to make Ed enjoy every throw of the ball, every shift and every toss. It wasn't long before the other men found another ball nearby and began a friendly game of a sport Ed had never seen before and doubted really was a game. More than likely, it was something Breda and Havoc had created as an excuse to tackle Falman. Though Fuery played, it seemed all he had to do was flash a wide-eyed expression at the others to make them halt just long enough for him to pass the ball to someone else.

"You wish you were out there, don't you?" Gracia asked.

Ed looked over at her. "I'm beginning to feel a bit useless, you know. Roy and I can't even spar now. All we get into are slap fights. It's a little embarrassing, even if it does manage to keep my hand-eye coordination strong." The only plus was that the little battles usually ended in a kiss or a soft caress.

"It's never easy being active and suddenly feeling like you've got a sack of potatoes attached to your midsection." Gracia said, lying back on the comforter as Elysia ran to get the ball once Black Hayate had tired himself out. Roy tossed the ball to the girl a few times before she, too, tired of the game and went to find the big black and white dog.

Roy returned to the comforter and walked behind Ed, sitting directly behind him, a leg on either side of the teen's body. "Thought you might want a backrest."

Ed looked back to the colonel, who was gradually easing Ed's back onto his own body. Though he didn't exactly feel like having one more person rubbing his stomach, Ed didn't mind as Roy rubbed along the teen's sensitive sides and splayed his fingers across the rounded belly.

"I'm okay if you want to play with the other guys."

Roy rested his chin on Ed's head, not too hard, but enough that the pressure increased as he spoke. "I'd rather be here. As long as I'm here, I don't have to get myself tackled or listen to them saying I'm too old to take it, like they're doing to Falman. It's been about ten years since I really got into that game."

Reclined between the man's legs, images once again surfaced, this time of Roy taking him from behind, gently sucking at his neck, kissing, nibbling. His hands would shift from Ed's stomach to his hips guiding the speed and rhythm. Ed realized that once again his wandering mind was causing problems in his nether regions and he began to twitch and shift in the colonel's lap, pulling his own legs up, honestly grateful, for once that the belly was there, helping to shield the straining erection in his pants.

As he moved, he almost gasped, realizing that behind him, there was something poking him at the small of his back that hadn't been there a few minutes before. Ed tilted his head back, and saw the colonel had grown quite red and was averting his eyes, moving his hands away from Ed. The blond grabbed those hands and squeezed.

"I'm sorry. I'm moving too much. You have to be uncomfortable. I'll try to stay still."

The colonel had obviously gotten Ed's meaning and placed a light kiss to the forehead below him. Ed reached into the pocket at the front of his shirt. "I want to give you your present from me before you open up the rest of them." He pulled out a pair of white gloves with a red piece of string wrapped around them. "I'm not much at wrapping."

Roy untied the string and looked over the gloves. Ed couldn't really see his face, but guessed he wasn't spotting what the young alchemist had done.

"I changed the symbol just a little. You were so close with your research, and with the free time I've had, I figured out how you could enhance the array on the back. Now, you should be able to change water into hydrogen and oxygen, making it a highly flammable gas, even with minimal spark."

Ed had hoped that changing the colonel's arrays didn't hurt his pride too much, but when he felt the colonel genuinely embrace him from behind, thanking him, he felt certain that he hadn't offended the man.

It was then that Ed heard the faint ringing of the front doorbell. Roy pulled away, helping Ed rise as he did. "Havoc, can you help Ed into a seat at the corner of the porch and put the table in front of him while I find out who's at the door."

0o0o0o0o0

As his subordinates did as he'd instructed, Roy stood in front of the door, grateful he was no longer standing at half-mast, the idea of Ed getting caught working just as well as a bucket of ice cold water. Roy walked through the kitchen, spotting Carlida curled in a ball on top of the icebox. Disturbing her slumber, he scratched the cat between her ears, earning a green-eyed glare from the medium-sized cat.

Roy made his way to the hall and reached the front door, opening it and finding himself eye to nose with a somewhat taller, aqua-eyed man.

"Lieutenant Colonel, what are you doing here?"

"I came here bringing a present, Roy," Archer said, holding out a crudely wrapped gift. "Had it not been for that banner at the office, I might have forgotten. Hard to believe the wunderkind of the military is now thirty years old." Roy didn't move from his place at the door, looking suspiciously at the gift, certain he'd heard a noise from inside. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23 **

_**Past**_

Roy didn't move from his spot, and remained glaring at the slightly taller man.

"I'm afraid I don't have to allow you anything here. This is my home."

"Yes. I have to admit I was surprised that as a colonel and state alchemist, you didn't merit a larger place," Archer said, darting a head inside and looking around.

"It is more than large enough, and this is mine, not the military's."

Archer still stood on the front stoop, still holding the present by its ribbon. "You know, there's a rumor that you are about to become a father as well." Roy's carefully made stone-like façade cracked just a bit. "The military all knows. You can't go out in public on a date and expect no one to figure it out."

"What concern is it if I am going to be a father? There are many fathers in the military, including the fuhrer." Roy folded his arms across his chest. "Or is it you're jealous?"

"Jealous that you don't know how to use birth control?" Archer said. He pushed Roy aside and stepped into the hallway, swaggering into the kitchen. "From outside, it sounded like you had a party going on. I'm almost hurt that I wasn't invited. After all, I'm the only one of your friends from the academy you have left." The smug man ran his hand along the icebox, as Roy fought off a shiver at the memory of being slammed against the one in his dorm on the night that very nearly ruined his military career.

Glancing at the window, Roy saw a pair of yellow eyes under a spray of blond bangs looking through the space between the curtain and the windowsill, obviously worried and confused.

Once again, Roy found the door opening seemingly on its own. "Uncle Roy?" Elysia stepped through the doorway.

"Uncle?" Archer said, a tight smile on his face. "And who is this little one?"

"This is Maes's daughter." Archer stepped forward, arm outstretched as though to pat the girl on the head. With lightning-fast reflexes, Havoc, who had been standing within sight of Elysia, darted into the kitchen and snatched her out from under the pale hand. Those hazy blue eyes stared down the taller superior officer.

"What really is your business here?" Roy watched as Archer postured himself.

"I suppose you heard about my recent attack on the Devil's Nest pub and the recovery of numerous chimeras?"

Roy's eyes darted down to the box, certain he'd seen it move. He looked back up and signaled to Havoc to take Elysia back outside. "If you can call senseless slaughter a recovery effort."

"It seems today was a momentous day for more than one of us." Archer straightened his back, shifting his shoulders as he did, forcing Roy to pay attention to the insignia there. "I thought I would let you notice rather than pointing out your mistake when you addressed me as Lieutenant Colonel."

"They promoted you?" Roy met the man in the eye.

"Imagine that. We're equals now."

"Hardly." Roy eyed the now colonel as Archer placed the box on the table. The man then stepped closer to Roy, the hope that the thirty-year-old would back down obvious in his eyes, and just as obviously dashed as Roy never gave an inch. "Well, congratulations, Archer, you got a promotion for being a sadist. You should be proud."

"I must also be a bit of a masochist, too," Archer said, grabbing Roy by the head and trying to pull him into a kiss. Roy hadn't been shocked and had expected this the moment that Archer first told him that they were now equal in rank. Though Archer's lips had made contact before Roy could punch him in the face, Roy made it very clear to the man in front of him and the teen looking in from the porch that this was not what he wanted.

He could see Ed's eyes glowering outside. He could also see Breda and Falman behind him, holding the teen down. Apparently, even the fear of getting caught wasn't enough to make the blond reconsider charging after the new colonel for kissing the younger one. At the doorway, Fuery entered, timidly, as though he was being forced into the house to pacify Ed.

"Colonel," the young man said.

Archer turned toward the young master sergeant, rubbing his jaw, and smiled. "Do you keep the short ones just to make yourself look taller, Roy?"

"You need to leave, Archer."

"But you haven't opened my gift." He shoved the box across the table, the contents shifting and making the box veer a bit from its course. Grabbing the ribbon at the top, Roy opened it, doing so as quickly as he could to get rid of the man standing in his home. As he pulled open the flaps at the top of the box, he could see two strange red eyes looking up at him. Below him was the most grotesque sight he'd seen in his life. The creature inside the box looked like an unholy mesh between a bat and a snake. It was a chimera, and not even a good one, as it seemed to be in sheer agony.

"What the hell is this?"

"Just a little way of showing you that I have acquired a particular alchemist under my command."

"Shou Tucker," Roy hissed.

"He's been re-instated into the military as a major, along with my newest subordinate. I believe he was a compatriot of yours during the war in Ishbal. Zolf Kimblee."

"Tucker is a sick and twisted man, but do you honestly think you can control a crazed Major Kimblee?"

"It's Lieutenant Colonel. And yes, I think I can. As long as I provide him with battle, he'll be happy, and I think I will be able to find enough for him to do. I've never backed down from war." He looked at Roy's repulsed face, glaring into the box. "You don't like my gift?" Archer re-packaged the creature. "Even though you hit me, I'm still willing to dispose of it." He moved back to the icebox looking up to Carlida, who had moved from her curled position to a stance of attack. "Wouldn't Tucker like to get a cute little thing like you?"

At that, the cat leapt onto Archer's shoulder and scratched him across the left side of his face. "You little--" He tossed the kitten toward the wall, as Fuery darted out to catch the young cat, earning some scratches on his arms as he rescued it from certain injury.

"Get the hell out of my home." Roy grabbed Archer by the arm and forcibly dragged him from the kitchen. "If I find out that kitten has been injured in any way, I swear to you that even Kimblee won't be able to stop me."

Literally, Roy threw Archer out of the front door, smiling to himself as the man hit his knee on the dirty sidewalk, soiling that precious uniform. Roy slammed the door behind him and made his way back out to the porch with the rest of his men. Havoc held Elysia, one arm supporting her and another holding onto her back; she was sobbing and couldn't understand why the "mean man" had thrown the nice kitten. Gracia wasn't with her daughter, as she was treating Fuery's scratch marks. Ed was still standing in his corner, cradling the kitten as Black Hayate stood, feet planted firmly, on the wooden table, licking furiously at the ball of fur in Ed's arms.

"You okay there, Fuery?" Breda shouted from one end of the yard. "And how's the cat?"

"Kain's scratches will be okay and the kitten's just shocked," Ed yelled back, "but you'd know that if you weren't being such a big baby about the dog."

"I don't like those drooling beasts, and he won't leave the cat, so leave _leave_ me alone."

Roy walked by Fuery and patted him on the shoulder, then he stepped on the empty bench seat and onto the floor of the porch in front of Ed. Large gold eyes looked up at him. "I don't care if they're comfortable with it. Just kiss me. Please." Roy leaned down, one hand behind the blond's neck, another between them, rubbing the cat's head as Ed's metal hand laced its way into the dark hair at the nape of Roy's head. Their lips met, Roy's tongue darting out and silently asking Ed to part his lips. He didn't care if he tasted like pickles, or if the cat between them had encircled Roy's arm with all four of its paws. He just wanted to replace the image of that bastard trying to once again dominate him like he was a teenager.

Ed's mouth willingly complied, and though the teen had shut his eyes for the kiss, Roy's remained open, wanting only to see that soft, still young face before him, slightly tanned from work out in the real world. He wanted only to imagine that metal hand that clasped so tightly to his hair, trying to be gentle as it did, not wanting to accidentally catch the jet-colored strands in its hinges. He wanted only that feeling of the bumps of a satiny braid beneath his own hand.

He wanted only Edward, his Fullmetal.

When the kiss broke, Ed's hand lingered, trying to loosen each joint before moving it from the taller man's hair. They were still very close, and Ed moved to Roy's ear. "Not that I'm complaining, but what did he do to you?" he asked, somewhat breathlessly.

Roy was breathing heavily, not realizing that for much of the kiss he'd hardly been breathing at all. "Later." They pulled apart, looking down at the cat which still held onto his arm, nuzzling its nose on the gloved hand. "I knew I liked that cat."

0o0o0o0o0

Later that night, after the others had gone home, Roy and Ed sat on the sofa in the study, listening to the radio, Ed resting his head on Roy's lap, while the older man pulled out the braid and combed a hand through the unbound hair.

"Want to talk about what happened today?" Ed asked, looking up at the man above him. He received only a grunt. He shifted onto his back, looking directly up at the man, who only stared off ahead of him. "I don't think you get it. That wasn't a question, Roy. Start talking."

Roy sighed. "You wanted to know why I was so upset about your first kiss, about not regretting it."

"Right." Ed scanned over that light-skinned face. "So what first was he?" Ed asked this, but prayed that it wasn't the first that he thought it was. "Was he your first…time?"

Roy still didn't make eye contact. "My first time was with my girlfriend at school before I joined the academy at sixteen. No, after a drunk night with him and Maes, he became my first time with another man."

"How drunk were you, exactly? How could you… With him?" Ed couldn't fight the shudder.

"Frank and I were once friends." Those soft hands rubbed against Ed's equally smooth face. "You know how Maes likes to befriend angry, ambitious loners, right?" Roy smiled down at Ed, who knew this wasn't an insult directed toward himself as much as a statement of both of their personalities. "While he was in the military academy, he made friends with Frank. They were in the same classes, same year. So when I joined Maes there two years later, the two of them were already friends and the bastard became part of my own incredibly small circle. Back then, I thought of him as an older version of myself, so even after we'd woken up like that, we were able to come to an agreement."

Ed cringed. "So it wasn't a one-time thing?"

"Afraid not. It was just an agreement that at seventeen and nineteen, we were growing frustrated in that area and could go to one another for relief." Ed couldn't help the disgust in his face, though he tried to hide it when saw Roy's eyes down on him, finally. "That was the reason I didn't want to tell you, Ed."

Ed shifted off of the colonel's lap, watching the older man's face intently. It was as though he had resigned himself for Ed to be revolted by him and his past.

It was a struggle, but Ed shifted himself onto his knees, facing Roy on the couch. "Look at me." Roy looked in Ed's direction, but didn't really seem to be looking at him. "Colonel Bastard, look _at_ me."

Ed watched as the eyes focused on his own. "I'm not happy to know that of all the people in the world you could have been with, he was one of them, but considering that at the time, I was only about five, I don't exactly have the right to get angry, do I? And it isn't as though I don't have a past myself." He shifted his right hand on the older man's cheek. "One you managed to forgive."

He watched as Roy swallowed.

"Ed, I…"

Ed placed his lips to Roy's, then gently kissed along the man's jaw, feeling the faint stubble beneath his lips as he worked his way to the man's ear. He gently nibbled on the earlobe in front of him. "Roy, you've had a dark past. I know that. If the asshole Archer is a part of that, I have to accept it."

Roy turned to Ed, his strong arms enveloping the smaller alchemist. Ed's hands began fumbling for Roy's shirt, tugging at the bottom of the black shirt and sliding it up over the man's body, hoping there wasn't going to be any resistance.

"Are you sure, Ed?"

"I didn't say that we were going to do anything. I just want your shirt off, Mustang," Ed said, almost commandingly. He pulled the black shirt up over a stomach just beginning to show the signs of the toning muscles beneath. Ed let his hands roam over the pecs. Ed moved his down to the newly revealed chest as he continued to pull Roy's shirt off of his body, and began kissing and sucking each inch of skin bared to him. He heard the older man moan, his chest rumbling. Ed's hands grasped onto the man's chest, hearing him gasp.

"Right hand… cold."

Ed decided to move himself to warm Roy up, moving his mouth to the left nipple, taking his tongue around the tiny nub, and as it stood on end, he placed it between his teeth, hearing the man above him hiss then feeling him curl his fingers in the long hair, which remained wavy from the braid. Releasing the little bump, Ed moved back to the man's sternum, licking from the top of his stomach to the collarbone.

"Mmm, Edward."

Ed moved over to the other nipple, working to get it to stand on end just as much as its twin. Roy began moving his own hands to Ed's shirt. "Ed, can I?" Roy asked.

Ed felt his face grow warm. "I look like a bloated whale."

"Not to me."

Roy pulled the oversized shirt up, moving it over Ed's swollen belly, over the bra that the teen reluctantly wore when he was going to be around company, then over the head and mismatched arms. The shirt gone, Roy tossed it to the side and began kissing Ed's neck. His strong arms wrapped around the teen, moving to the bra, gradually unhooking it.

Though Ed was thoroughly enjoying each move of Roy's mouth on his neck, he pulled back slightly. "Roy, they don't look normal."

"Don't care."

Ed helped the older man slip the bra over his shoulders and down onto the floor. The man's skilled mouth moved down to Ed's chest, making the teen squirm, goosebumps rising all over his body. The swollen chest was incredibly sensitive and each touch of his the rough tongue swirling all over each breast nearly made Ed cry out in pleasure. Unfortunately, the older man's attentions were causing Ed's nether regions to strain harder against the stretchy brown pants. Those soft hands moved along his bare stomach as Roy's head continued above.

"Roy, unh," Ed couldn't form the words, couldn't tell the man that if he didn't soon stop, the sensitivity and the hormones were going to bring him over the edge without the slightest touch below. Rather than making the older man stop, he shifted closer, his knee coming into contact with Ed's crotch as he continued to kiss and lick around the nipples. Roy's efforts above made his leg shift below, continuing to rub along Ed's still clothed member. "Aaah!" Ed said, as he felt himself release.

He turned his head away, scooting back on the leather sofa. Roy glanced down at the damp knee of his jeans, then smiled at the blond, who was wrapping his left arm around his chest while the right reached down for the discarded shirt. Ed felt humiliated, ashamed. "Roy, I'm sorry. They are so sensitive."

"Nothing to be ashamed of, Ed." Roy shifted and moved to pull Ed beside him. "But you are going to need to get cleaned up."

"But that's not right. I didn't want it to happen so fast."

Roy nuzzled his face into Ed's hair. "It's probably better that it did. We might have done something that neither of us are ready for if it hadn't."

Ed held the shirt to the front of his body, enjoying the warmth of Roy's for a moment before heading to the upstairs bathroom.

"Ed, if you'd like to," Roy said before Ed was completely in the hallway, "you can spend the night with me tonight."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 **

_**Morning**_

For the next few mornings, Ed would wake up to the sound of an alarm going off, feeling the warmth of a body pressed against his back and an arm curled around his chest, never failing to notice that the hand was usually cupping one of his breasts. Chuckling to himself, he wondered, as he did each morning, how much Roy would miss them when they were gone. Almost a week after Roy's birthday, today felt no different.

He could feel the man moving behind him, pulling away to shut off the ringing alarm. The alarm off, the arm returned, resting over Ed's stomach and rubbing.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but you've got to go to work," Ed said, pushing himself up on the bed and rolling onto his other side to face Roy.

"I'm half tempted to call in sick."

"Being one week over thirty doesn't count as an illness, Roy." Ed leaned forward and kissed the man on the forehead, getting tussled black bangs in the process.

"But I'd so much rather just stay here with you." He shifted down once again to the bump. "And with the two of you. You don't want me to go to work, either, do you, little ones? You'd rather I stayed here with Daddy all day wouldn't you?"

"Well, as much as Daddy might like that, Papa's got to go to work," Ed said. Roy pulled away rolling his eyes and looked over at the clock, then at his watch.

"Oh, no, Papa doesn't." Roy held the watch up to show Ed. There was an hour difference in the time. "The state alchemist watches set themselves by the military's time. We just gained an hour last night for the sake of daylight, so I've got an hour to kill." He ran a hand over Ed's face. "Any ideas?"

"I'm the one whose hormones are supposed to be going crazy, so why are you the horny one?"

"Because I've got a gorgeous young blond in my bed."

Ed's eyes narrowed. "You know when you say cornball stuff like that it's just sickening."

"I'm on the verge of saying more, so you might want to find a way to make me stop."

With his right hand, Ed pulled the man down, pulling their lips together and mashing the colonel's body against his own chest. It was a meshing of lips and tongues, and though it felt good, Ed had learned it was better just to stop this before it went any farther. They never went beyond heavy petting, and Ed spent most of his time focusing very hard to prevent a repeat of Roy's birthday. It never failed when they did this in the mornings that it left them both with unresolved needs.

It wasn't until Ed found himself beneath the older man, who carefully straddled the smaller body that he realized something more might be happening this particular morning. The large, soft hands tenderly roamed over the blond's body.

"Roy, what are you doing?" Ed asked when the hands suddenly stopped at the waistband of the black pants. Coal black eyes looked into Ed's as the hands moved away.

"I can stop," he said.

"No!" Ed said, hastily. "I was just surprised."

The man above him flashed Ed a smile before tugging at the waist and slowly pulling the pants down freeing Edward's half-hard member. Ed's breath hitched in his chest as the open air hit him, his heart pounding at the thought of the colonel now looking at him. This somehow didn't feel very equal.

Between the man and his own stomach, the weight on top of Ed was preventing him from sitting up or shifting very much, though his fingers did manage to lace themselves inside of the colonel's pajama bottoms. "Not everything has to be equivalent exchange, Ed. I want to do this for you."

Ed was about to ask, "Do what?" when he felt a hand wrapping itself around him. "Mmm. Roy…"

That hand moved slowly at first, painfully slow as far as Ed was concerned. There was too much weight pressing him down in order for him to thrust his hips up, much as he wanted to, into that smooth hand, which he had to trust to set the speed. And, unfortunately, the babies were shifting, their weight now pressing against what felt like a kidney.

"Roy. Need to roll over. Now." Mustang quickly moved and allowed Ed to shift to his side.

"You okay?"

"Fine, just…" He began rubbing his belly. "They moved and it was too much weight. Flat on my back like that may not be possible for another three months."

Undaunted, the commanding officer shifted his position so that he was laying opposite Ed, giving the teen a perfect view of the fact that he was not alone in being aroused. Roy began sliding his hands down the teen's right thigh, nudging it upwards, to which Ed more than willingly complied, but not without pulling at the waist of the pants facing him.

"Fullmetal…" Roy said as Ed had them far enough down to find the dark curls nestled beneath the gray fabric.

"Everything is about equivalent exchange, Colonel."

When Ed finally had Roy released into the air, he almost regretting his own actions, because they had stopped the pleasant movements of the hand below. With a balancing act on the pillows, Ed managed to free his left hand from beneath his own weight and grasped the man's erect eight inches. He began moving his hand, eliciting a groan from the older man, whose hand below was had stopped moving. Ed nearly begged aloud for it to move until he felt something warm and wet engulfing the head.

"Oh, shit… Oh, Roy…"

As Ed felt what he was certain was the most incredible thing he'd ever experienced, he tried to remember to continue to move his hand. This was equivalent trade, even if he wasn't quite sure he was ready to reciprocate with his own mouth. As he continued his movements, he could feel the older man moving further down onto Ed, who was amazed at how far he could take it. Ed was probably no more than six inches, even in moments like these--he was only sixteen and still growing after all, but the fact that this man was capable of taking almost every one of those inches in his mouth and throat was remarkable.

Ed was essentially pinned where he was and had to rely on the movements of the older man and that hot wet cavern. Roy, however was not as confined and had his hips thrusting into Ed's flesh hand in time with each movement of his head. For a second, Ed actually reminded himself of exactly who it was that had his mouth around his member. It was Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, seeking to pleasure him. This man who was the great hero of the Ishbalan war. He wanted Ed, and wanted to make him happy.

He wanted him, even as he looked at the moment, bloated and unnatural.

That thought, more than any other, began to push Ed closer and closer to the edge. He knew that as the muscles in his stomach began to tighten, so did his grip. He heard a pleased grunt come from below, felt its vibrations, and knew it was over.

"Roy, I'm… Oh Roy!"

He shot into the man's mouth, gasping as he felt the man sucking on him, drawing out every last bit of the substance that never seemed to stop coming. Never had it hit so hard before or felt so earth-shattering. Then again, he had always been the sole participant. Ed was learning that, like some things in life, two were just so much better than one.

In the midst of ecstasy, his grip tightened on Roy, and he slid his hand just enough that he could feel Roy was growing closer, though was only half aware of it as he was busy seeing stars shooting in front of his eyes as the very skilled man finished his work below.

He felt Roy pull his mouth off of him, and watched as the dark head pulled back, licking his lips, wiping a hand along the edges of his mouth to remove the remaining white fluid before lapping it off with his pink tongue.

Ed could feel himself awakening again, but tried to ignore it as the taller man shifted and laid nearly on his back, grasping a hand around Ed's, guiding the teen to continue to move. Ed was lying practically boneless, willing himself to pleasure the older man because it was equivalent exchange, because he wanted to make Roy feel just as good as he had.

"Ed, so close. Faster."

He was asking, almost begging, and hearing such a desperate tone in the man's voice made Ed obey, increasing his speed, varying the intensity of his hold on the man, gently rubbing a thumb over the tip, spreading the pre-cum down the shaft, making movement smoother. One final time, he teased the sensitive, dark head of the man's cock, tentatively allowing his right hand to come into play to fondle the man's testicles beneath their bed of black curls. He felt the man's balls tighten, and watched as those onyx eyes began to roll to the back of that dark head.

"Edward!" It was all Roy shouted as he began to spurt over both of their hands.

Ed pulled his hand away, looking at the white stuff now covering it. Roy had swallowed nearly every drop of his own. The least he could do was taste it, trying not to compare it with milk, trying to get over a light revulsion at the actual concept. He put a finger to his mouth and darted a tongue out over the white substance. It was bitter, a bit too much for the taste of someone with a sweet tooth like Ed's, but it was not absolutely unpalatable. Using his tongue to lick up the back of his own hand, he grabbed Roy's with his other, the automail having received none of the man's seed. He pulled the man's hand to his mouth and sucked the white liquid from those long, soft fingers, trying not to show a sign of his own distaste.

"Now how am I supposed to function at all at work with that image burned into my brain?" Roy asked, moving to face Ed properly. "Did you enjoy that, Edward?"

"Very much."

"No regrets?"

"Stop asking that, Mustang. No. I don't regret it." Ed placed a feather light kiss to Roy's lips, finding it odd knowing that the strange taste on the man's lips was his own, knowing that Roy was probably thinking the same thing. "It was the most incredible thing I've ever experienced, so don't ruin it with your own insecurities." Ed smiled at Roy, to make sure that his colonel knew he was joking… sort of.

0o0o0o0o0

Roy had been late to work that morning and honestly didn't care. If he could wake up every morning, he would listen to dozens of lectures from his superiors. It had been messy, and there would be laundry to do--he was a bit embarrassed to take everything to the laundress--but hearing that raspy voice crying out his name, screaming his name, and feeling the teen so eager to please him was worth some soiled pajamas and sheets.

Unfortunately, the euphoria of the entire experience began to fade as the day wore on, and he realized he needed to do something before he let this relationship with Ed go one step further.

He ended his day at the cemetery, tromping through the damp grass. He stopped first at Maes's grave, paying proper respects before placing a hand on the cold stone at the head of it. "You used to joke that Ed and I needed to get along better. I'm sure this isn't what you meant, but I am happy. He may not be a wife, and would shoot anyone for saying he was, but I really do care about the runt. And, despite how happy I am, I want you to know that I have never stopped looking for your killer. I will find the people who did this, and I will personally hunt them down." He inhaled slightly. "Gods, Maes, I miss you so much. I'm going to be a father soon, and I needed you to rely on. I don't let Ed know, but I am absolutely terrified about becoming a dad, and you were such a natural at it. What if I screw this up? Without you to help, I'm sure I'm going to make so many mistakes."

Roy paused, sobbing and finishing his piece with Maes before moving deeper into the cemetery, toward her grave.

"Riza."

He couldn't make it to her stone in time before he was on his knees, tears that had lingered from Maes's grave began to pour down his face. His hands grasped at the still fresh grass as he sobbed. "I hope you know I've not betrayed you, Riza." His chest shook. "Riza, I still love you, but Ed…" Another sob. "He's found a piece of my heart and salvaged it from myself. Somehow, before I even realized it, I fell in love with the kid, and I want to be happy with him. And he loves our children so much, and they aren't even born yet. I know you loved him like family, and I hope that you will not begrudge me my love of him as something more. He'll never replace you, but he makes me feel like I thought I wouldn't after I lost you."

It was cathartic to cry like this, to release the guilt he'd been holding onto for falling into this relationship so quickly with the young man carrying his children.

0o0o0o0o0

When the phone rang, Ed answered it, hoping it would be Al, since it had been several days since he'd last heard from his little brother.

"Hello?"

"Ed?" It was Izumi.

"Teacher? Where are you?"

"I can't tell you, Ed. You still work for the military, and if you know where I am you are obligated to report it. Ed, I just received word that my teacher, the one who taught me all I know about alchemy has been killed."

"How?"

"A homunculus, according to her latest student. His name is Greed, and in the places I've had to go to stay away from the military, I've heard a rumor he's been showing interest in a piece of body-less armor."

"Al."

"I believe so."

"How do I find him?"

0o0o0o0o0

Unfortunately, Al was already being held in an abandoned building, with Greed hovering over him.

"Tell me how you are attached to that armor."

"No."

"Dorochet." The wolf chimera pulled his sword and held it to a bound Armstrong's throat. "Tell me or I will order him to kill your muscle-bound friend."

"Say nothing young Elric," Armstrong said, earning a back-hand from Greed, who had transformed from the wrist down specifically to strike the state alchemist.

"Talk or I'll have to do that again, and I really don't like to lower myself to that." He folded his lean yet muscular arms and smiled down at Al. "I'm really a passivist at heart. As long as I get what I want." He knelt in front of the suit of armor. "Now tell me how your brother did it, or tell me how we can find your brother."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25 **

_**Revulsion**_

Ed was pacing the floor, waiting for Roy to get home. He was later than usual, and with the knowledge that someone was after Al, the young alchemist worried that this Greed might have decided to use Roy to his advantage to get Ed to talk.

When the door finally opened and Roy entered, Ed nearly hugged him, but opted for berating the older man for being so late. "What took you so long? I was getting worried."

"I had to stop off at the cemetery, if that's all right with you." Roy's tone told Ed that he wasn't angry, but the older alchemist seemed to realize that Ed was genuinely concerned. "What is it?"

"There's a homunculus named Greed after Al," Ed said walking into the kitchen, Roy following close behind. "Teacher called. She said Greed had something to do with that Devil's Nest that the asshole Archer attacked. I don't know if Al knows. I don't know if he's safe, and then you were late from work. You had me worried that Greed had gotten to you too."

"First of all, I'm here, and I'm fine. Second of all, we don't know he's gotten Al at all."

"Don't belittle me for being worried. He's my little brother, and so far, I haven't met a homunculus that under the right conditions wouldn't kill." Ed was angry at the man for pretending everything was okay, for being late, for being him. "You've never really had to go up against them. You don't understand. You don't get it. He could destroy my brother. Who knows what kind of powers this guy has. There's one who can extend her fingers into sharp knives, another who can eat anything, another with my arm and leg who can do alchemy, and one who can shape shift." Ed's voice was rising and he couldn't stop it, not that he wanted to. "My brother's in danger, and you were late getting home. You should have let me know you were going to be stopping somewhere."

"Ed, what was I supposed to do? Tell you that I was going to the cemetery to visit Riza and Maes's graves? Gotten you upset?"

Angry tears began to flow down Ed's face. "Well you did one hell of a job not getting me upset, Colonel Bastard!"

"How is this my fault? I can't help it if there is some strange new homunculus out there."

"You're a friggin' colonel, shouldn't you be able to do something?" At that, Ed stormed into the study. "And stay the hell out of here."

Roy hadn't seen the face of Ed's outraged hormones often. Usually the little bouts of anger had manifested themselves in nearly the same way Ed's temper always had. For a moment, fleeting as it was, the colonel considered following his young lover into the study. Instead, Roy moved to the kitchen, removing his uniform coat and hanging it over a chair, his head still reeling at the teen's anger. He pulled some things out of the cupboard, preparing to make a quick dinner, not sure that Ed would even want to eat with him tonight, or look at him for that matter.

He began to cook, checking the clock, knowing that Fuery was working tonight and would be back at his desk in less than a half-hour. The guy hardly ever took a long dinner, and always did it at the military specified times. Until Fuery was back at his desk, the colonel couldn't call, so Roy began to cook, it was nothing fancy, but it was edible and bland enough that Ed couldn't complain too much about him using this or that spice, telling him he should have known better since they always made him sick--not true, but if a certain herb or flavor set him off once, he told you it always did, particularly on days when he was behaving like this.

After about fifteen minutes, the food was nearly done, so Roy turned down the burners to a low simmer while he turned to the telephone and dialed up central, asking for Fuery.

"Hello, Colonel."

"Fuery, I need your help. I need you to get a hold of Major Armstrong as best you can. Find his last location and tell him to have Al call Ed. He's getting worried about him. And tell Armstrong I'm going to need to talk to him."

"Of course. Colonel, is everything okay?"

"It's just been a long day."

Roy hung up the phone and put the chicken dish on the plates on the table, looking up when he heard a sniffing sound at the door to the study. He put the pan back on the stove and embraced the small frame of the blond alchemist as he sobbed into Roy's white shirt.

"I didn't mean it," Ed said, crying. "I wasn't really angry. I just feel like I'm on a damned rollercoaster. I never know if I'm angry or sad or hurt." The blond head tucked itself beneath Roy's chin while mismatched arms wrapped around his neck. "I'm worried about Al. We're not usually apart this long." He sobbed.

"Are you still angry with me, Ed?" Roy rested his cheek against the golden hair as the head shook. "I understand you're worried about your brother."

"And Fuery's going to try to find him?"

"And I'll find out what I can about Greed, even if it means going to the new asshole colonel myself."

The night had ended with the two of them listening to the radio, Ed propped up on the couch with Roy behind him. Despite the intensity of their morning together, they were merely sitting, hands clasped around one another, talking, and really, it was reassuring that the colonel didn't expect an immediate follow-up. Ed's body was more than willing, but he wasn't sure he really had gotten a handle on himself emotionally.

"Yeah, teacher really just dropped us off of the island."

"Two boys dropped on an island to fend for themselves?"

"We thought so, but not really. Apparently, Teacher had someone watching us all along. Not that they were much use. I still got bit by a fox on my arm." Ed could feel Roy move, knowing almost instinctively what the man was doing. "Other arm."

"Oh." The colonel released Ed's right hand and rubbed the arm sympathetically, despite the fact that the only sense of feeling he got was knowing there was a presence and weight there. Roy then wrapped his arms around Ed's shoulders.

"Shouldn't Fuery have called by now?" Ed asked, moving his left hand up to rub the older man's arms.

"It could take a while for a message to be sent and reach and returned, Edward." Ed didn't exactly like that answer, but accepted it because he knew it was the truth. It could be a day before Al and Armstrong actually got back to them. He leaned his head down and placed his lips to the arms below him, the fine dusting of black hair tickling his nose.

"The next time you go to the cemetery to visit Riza and Maes, I want to go too, even if it means I have to wear the maternity outfit again." He heaved a sigh as he allowed himself to melt into the man's arms.

They hadn't been like that for long before the telephone began to ring. Ed leaned forward, allowing Roy to jump up from the sofa and run to the kitchen phone. It took maneuvering on Ed's part to follow, but he finally managed it, though wished that the radio was not playing at the moment, so he could hear the conversation better. "He should be glad to hear it… Thank you, Fuery." Ed looked at his commanding officer expectantly. "Fuery said that the Eastern office just heard from Armstrong two hours ago, with a pretty optimistic report. Nothing suspicious. They will pass on our message when he calls tomorrow."

"I'd still rather talk to Al." Ed planned to trust the colonel to find out some information, rather than risking the suggestion his teacher had made that someone investigate Dante's home.

"I know." Ed couldn't help but see on Roy's face an expression that he was hiding something.

"Roy?" Ed walked over and slipped his fingers in the larger hands at the man's sides. "What is it? Something other than this is bothering you."

"Ed, I--" That rich baritone, nearly bass voice cracked. "I went to Riza's grave today to make my peace with being with you so soon after her death."

As much sympathy as he felt for the man, and understood the pain of such an act, but he also knew that for Roy to have done this, he must really care for him. That thought made him nearly jump for joy. Then he saw the lost look in those black eyes. "That isn't all of it, though, is it?"

"In the process, I realized I have to stop hiding my past from you." Roy pulled his hands away and stood, head bowed. "I shouldn't do this. You're emotional enough as it is."

"Hell no, you aren't stopping with that. What is it, Roy?" Ed stepped closer, placing himself under the man's face, looking up. "Talk. Now."

"During the war in Ishbal… the massacre, I killed many people, took out whole city blocks. All of us did." He backed away.

"Roy, you told me that." Ed tried to step closer, holding a hand out to put on Roy's shoulder.

"No, not all. I not only massacred those people. I served as the military's executioner. It was that role that made me put a gun to my head and nearly pull the trigger." Roy backed himself against a wall. "On orders from Basque Gran, I killed two doctors who had been treating the injured, both Ishballan and members of the military."

Ed's hand pulled back to his side as though some outside force had brought it there. "You killed the Rockbells?"

"Yes," said a voice so small it hardly sounded like it came from the colonel Ed knew. "I killed your friend's parents. It's my fault she was orphaned." Ed could only watch as Roy slid down the wall. "It's my fault." Ed wanted to get angry, but he knew too well about military orders and what consequences there could be for disobeying them. Though Roy had been about three years older than Ed himself was, he had less military experience. The idea that he cared for this man, the person who killed his closest friend's parents made him ill, but it didn't stop the fact that he _did_ care for him.

"Just say something. Please Edward."

"Why did you wait so long to tell me?"

That hadn't been what the man expected, and it was obvious as those usually languid-looking eyes grew wide and showed shock. "Why?" Those dark eyes scanned Ed's face. "You aren't repulsed?"

"I don't know what I am. Let's just go for a simple question first. Why so long?"

"I thought you would hate me." Roy audibly swallowed. "I was afraid what your reaction might be. With the babies…"

"You thought I wouldn't go through with the pregnancy if I knew?" Any attempts he had managed at maintaining his anger with rationalizations and understanding were fading quickly. "You must think I am one hell of a monster, you bastard." No, the man on the floor didn't even deserve the playful title of Colonel Bastard. He didn't even deserve for Ed to yell at him. Much as Ed tried to yell, he just found himself talking at a cold angry level. "You thought I would kill babies that are part mine and part Riza's because they carried your blood? You thought I would be so revolted by you I would be capable of destroying something that is partly mine?" Ed wrapped his hands around his stomach. "What the hell kind of parent do you think I'd be? Destroy them to spite you?"

"Edward, please…" Roy tried to reach out for him, landing himself on his hands and knees. Ed backed away as quickly as he could. "Keep your hands off of me. Just stay the hell away from me, you son of a bitch. Stay away."

Ed moved as quickly as he was capable up the stairs and to his room, where he alchemically sealed the door. Grabbing a pile of clothes, he knew he couldn't rely on that man, he wouldn't. Not if he thought Ed, after all the determination he'd shown, could possibly be capable of letting those babies be destroyed. After all the times he'd told him that he wanted to carry those babies for her, why did Roy think he would have made so much of a difference?

Ed piled the clothing on the floor and clapped his hands, bringing them to the heap, and let tendrils of fabric engulf him for just a moment. He couldn't rely on this man for information, so he was going to have to go out and get it himself.

Roy sat downstairs, not even pouring the previously unopened bottle of scotch into a glass, merely chugging it down. It had been months since he'd touched the stuff, but he wondered how much of this it would actually take to finally get him drunk. How long it would be before he could just forget? Forget the murders he committed as a military officer, forget the faces of those two doctors or their daughter he'd gotten the chance to watch grow up even when they hadn't, forget the hurt he'd just put into the eyes of the person he loved?


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26 **

_**Greed**_

Roy awoke as he slammed into the floor from the force of somebody shoving him off of the kitchen table and chair and onto the tile below. He had a splitting headache and a throbbing in his chest that he knew a painkiller wasn't going to take away. Even though he was in pain, he knew he'd been pushed, which surely meant that Fullmetal had gotten over what had taken place the night before, at least a little, enough to touch him, even in a shove.

"Absolutely pathetic," a young voice, younger than Ed's said. Roy blinked blurry eyes and tried to make out the dark-haired figure above him. The boy was young, had long black hair, large violet eyes and the distinct look of not being entirely human. "After observing you humans for the last few months, I wonder why I even bother trying to become one of you."

Roy jumped to his feet, his head angrily pounding at the quick action. "What are you?"

"Call me Wrath," the boy said.

"You're the one with Ed's arm and leg." They boy smiled mischievously and held out the mismatched palms. "What do you want here?"

"I came here to get help for Ed." Roy furrowed his brows. "Well, with the information I have, I would rather pass it on to him, but seeing that he's on his way to Dante's house, I figure I've got to tell you."

"On his way…What do you mean? He's upstairs." Wrath only shook his head as Roy ran from the kitchen and up the stairs to the second floor. He opened the door with ease, finding the room empty. Stepping inside, he saw the closet was open and nearly every shred of clothing was gone from the closet and drawers. A blinding light appeared near the bed and in near horror, the colonel watched as the boy began to appear from the floorboards.

"Told you he was gone. Envy saw him go, said he looked pretty fat. He's also been tapping your phone line. He heard mother telling Ed that he might find information on Greed at Dante's house, being that there was some connection between those two, and Greed supposedly killed Dante." The boy scowled. "I would beg to differ since the woman in her new form likes to toss me behind the gate when I 'misbehave.' She is very much alive, but if you could remedy that, I'd appreciate it."

"Tell me how to get to Ed."

"Not just yet. You have to hear me out, or you're not going to be any more use than he is against Greed. Greed prefers to appear like a man, but his true form he calls his 'Ultimate Shield.' I know because Envy likes to make fun of him. His power makes his body almost unbreakable and undefeatable, since it takes the form of black diamond. The other homunculus really want to see Greed gone, and Envy would be happy if Ed and Greed destroyed one another, so he called up Greed to tell him that Ed was going to be at Dante's home, but Greed's farther away that we are and it's going to take the better part of a day longer for him to get to Ed."

Roy began to walk out of the door, charging to get to Ed, whether he knew for sure where this Dante's house was or not.

"But before you do go, hear me out. They don't entirely trust me, and I don't know when the next time I'm able to talk with you or Ed will be." Then, the boy began to list, using his fingers to indicate each sin. "Sloth is a woman and is in the military, but I don't know as what. All I know is she tries to be motherly with me and most of the time, I just let her since she sometimes keeps me from being tossed into the gate by that cold witch Dante. I've never met Pride, but I get the impression he is in the military too. Envy is a ruthless killer and would just as soon turn into someone you care about just before he shoots you in the back. He also calls Ed his little brother. I don't know why but it's slipped out once in a while. Lust can turn her fingers in to knives and likes to use the way men look at her to her advantage. Gluttony really only listens to her. He's like a devoted puppy to Lust, but he can eat through anything and his hunger can get the best of him. A couple of times the fatso has threatened to eat me just because he's hungry and Lust doesn't even make an attempt to stop him." Wrath pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. "If you want to destroy a homunculus, this is the array to do it. To weaken them, you need this array and a piece of the person they were created from . The only person with a piece of Greed is that Archer, and he's being sent to Dante's by Sloth as we speak."

Then, the kid proceeded to give Roy instructions and tell him the fastest routes to the house, ones that not even Archer would know. Roy took the paper from the boy, looking down at him. "Why are you doing this?"

"Don't think it's because I give a damn about Ed, but of all the people and things I've met in my short life here, he's the only one who's been honest with me and made me a promise to make me human that I actually believe. I'm an angry little kid, but I'm selfish too, and if he can make me human, I'm definitely not letting a sick psycho like Envy hurt him." The bright light appeared as Wrath grabbed hold of his leg and began sinking through the floor. "I have to go. Evny promised to take me to see the showdown between Ed and Greed, and I sure as hell better see you there too."

0o0o0o0

Two days on a train, trying to keep track of when to take his pills, sitting in the bulky fat suit he had created had been absolute hell on Ed and his body. His back hurt, his legs hurt, and worst of all, his boobs hurt. The damn things had been bound beneath the fabric and were feeling ridiculously constricted and painful at the moment as he stood in front of the large mansion that had once belonged to Dante, teacher to his own, a grandmother of sorts. It was large and secluded, but there was something about it that gave him a sense of foreboding. Something that made his intuition go haywire.

As unnoticeably as someone who appeared all of 200 pounds at five feet tall could, Ed snuck around the back of the property, not wanting to disturb anything out front. He'd heard there was an ongoing debate on the ownership of his house, with Dante's previous student, whoever she was, claiming to be the rightful heir according to the old woman's will. Ed had picked up that much of his journey to the mansion. Apparently in such a small area, a legal battle was big news. Luckily for Ed, such a battle also meant that nothing in the house had been allowed to be touched and any research that Dante had ever done was still within. Ed walked through the strange house, trying to find the room most likely to house her research.

"This feels like breaking and entering," he mumbled to himself as he opened a door to what looked like a large library.

"Maybe because it is, Fullmetal," said a familiar deep voice. Ed looked back at the desk, where Mustang sat, going over papers, which he folded and placed inside of his uniform coat.

"So you managed to pull your ass out of the bottle?" Ed asked. "Just go the hell back home. If you wanted to stop me, then you shouldn't have passed out on the table. You were so out of it, I walked right by you."

"No, I can't do that." The colonel stood. "Not until I tell you I'm sorry."

"How did you know I was here?" Ed asked, still angry.

Roy recounted as much has he could of his encounter with Wrath, but never once tried to approach Ed.

"Okay, you gave me the information I need, now go."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I believe the boy asked you to leave," someone said from the doorway. Ed turned, looking at a man, taller than either himself or Roy, wearing black with a fur-collared vest. "Allow me to introduce myself. They call me Greed."

Ed decided to use his anger at Roy to good use. "Where the hell his my brother?" He started to charge at Greed only to have Mustang run ahead of him and stand between himself and the homunculus, his back facing the young alchemist. "Get out of my way, Colonel Bastard!"

"This is between the shrimp and I," the homunculus said. "I want to know how a soul can be bound into a suit of armor. I want immortality. Give me that and I give you your brother back."

"Give us his brother back," Roy said, extending a hand, "or I light you on fire."

The creature smiled broadly, almost literally ear to ear as his arms turned black, moving toward Ed's commanding officer. With a swipe, he moved to hit Roy with his large black fist, but Roy ducked, snapping his fingers as he did. As though he was made of gasoline, the homunculus's two arms caught fire.

"No one ever warned you that diamond burns, did they?" Roy said, standing up once again. The sin transformed his arms back to their human form and smothered the flames against his legs.

"You son of a bitch!" Greed screamed, not even waiting for his body to heal before backhanding Roy in the face, sending him flying to the other side of the room. "You can just stay the hell out of this. It's between me and the kid."

Ed clapped his hands. "If that's the way you want it, that's how it will be." Ed transmuted his hand into a large spike and stood ready to attack.

"How fast do you think you can manage to fight? I was told you were a martial artist. What do you do, sumo wrestle?" Ed's eyes narrowed as he ran at the homunculus. He'd called him fat. "Look at you. How the hell are you supposed to manage to fight anyone like that? You're supposed to be the one to take out my brethren, but just one look at you tells me you've never managed to kill. What a joke."

"I'll do what I have to," Ed said, practically growling as he made his attack. He managed to make contact with one of Greed's still burned arms. Only momentarily, Ed realized that the homunculus's body wasn't healing. It was a brief thought before blocking one of Greed's attacks and hearing yet another snap as Mustang was in the corner struggling to make it to his feet.

Greed's entire left arm was on fire. "Damn it, I hadn't even transformed yet! And I told you to stay out of this." He batted at his arm, yelling in pain as he did. He transformed his other hand, keeping it out of view of the Flame Alchemist and smacked at Ed's metal hand, snapping off a piece of its edge. "I need to know how to transmute me into a piece of armor."

"I can't," Ed said, beginning to feel extreme exhaustion in every one of his limbs. "You need a soul to do it. You don't have one." Greed approached closer, threateningly as there was another snap and Mustang was on his feet, once again standing between the fiery homunculus and the pregnant alchemist.

Screaming, Greed began to put out the flame, he walked away from Ed and to the window. "You had better find a way to do it, or I swear to you, I will tell a certain young woman wearing a suit of armor just outside of this window that she should begin poking at that nice red design."

With his last ounce of effort, Ed ran as quickly as he could to the homunculus and stabbed him with his spike in the gut. Greed collapsed to his knees and began coughing up blood.

"Now you have it," Greed said. "You have the ability to take out the other homunculi. You've killed somebody in cold blood. You'll need to be able to do that. You should find your brother out in the courtyard with Marta. Take care of her for me."

Ed clapped his hands, transforming the arm back, and looked down at Greed's lifeless body. Without any control of his own, he was collapsing on his knees. He'd killed someone. He'd stabbed him and was now watching him die. Ed curled up into fetal position, or as close as he could between his stomach and his fat suit as the homunculus's body disintegrated. Angry as he had been with the pyromancer before, he didn't put up any kind of fight as the older man pulled him into his arms, grunting to pick him up and carry him out of the room.

0o0o0o0

Before boarding the train to Risembool, Roy was on the phone with the fuhrer.

"I trust that Fullmetal escaped unscathed."

"His automail needs repaired, but physically, he's fine."

"It was a risk bringing him out."

"I know sir. I felt it was a greater risk not to. With his brother in danger, he might have tried to do this on his own. As it was, I went ahead and was able to ensure both his safety as well as that of Major Armstrong."

"And Major Armstrong is unharmed?"

"He went up against one of the chimeras, but was successful."

"Were the remaining chimeras destroyed?"

"To the best of my knowledge, Sir. When I discovered that Colonel Archer was there and it was his investigation, I deferred that to him."

"Very good, Colonel Mustang."

Roy had managed to get a brief leave to take Ed to see Winry in Risembool, as he had also worked out for the young mechanic to meet them there.

The Flame Alchemist walked onto the train, walking by Al, who was sitting in a bench seat one car ahead of where his brother was.

"Everything okay in there?" Roy asked.

"Yes, sir," Al answered, as there was a light tapping inside, a signal from Marta, the snake chimera, that she was fine. Because the young woman was still inside of his armor, Al had to stay at the front car of the train, rather than allowing her to see his older brother. Roy walked by and back into the car housing Ed's private compartment. Roy entered, finding Ed laying on the bed, curled around the bulging stomach. Roy knew that if the teen weren't so completely exhausted from trying to fight Greed while pregnant he probably would be putting up a brave face, getting on with his mission, but fatigue had taken over, even if it didn't allow him to sleep.

Cautiously, Roy sat on the bed beside the teen, whose gold eyes looked up at him warily. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry about everything." Ed said nothing, only slid back on the bed, still cradling his stomach. At first Roy thought this had been a move of fear or disgust, but when he looked down at those gold eyes, eyes that had lost their glimmer, he realized it was an invitation. Instead of standing and moving to the tiny bench across from Ed, Roy tucked his own legs up on the bed, wrapping his arms and legs around the teen.

"He wanted to die," Roy said. "He wanted to die, and he wanted you to do it. That's why he pushed you to do it, Ed." Roy sighed into the blond hair. "I just wish he'd have been satisfied with me killing him. I hate to see that cold stare in your eyes, Ed."

"I wish Al could be here," said a voice buried in his chest.

"We can't let Marta out in the open, Ed."

"I know." Then, Roy felt Ed's flesh hand and wrap around his waist. "Why'd you come here?"

"Because, I'm a stupid ass who said stupid things to the person I love. And I was afraid I'd never get to tell him that."

There was something muffled from below.

"Ed?"

"I said, I'm still mad at you, but I love you too. Colonel Bastard."

Roy squeezed onto the blond tighter, content to never move from this spot.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27 **

_**Reunion**_

Ed hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep until he heard a soft voice coming from an open doorway.

"Brother? Colonel Mustang?"

Blurry-eyed, Ed lifted his head from beneath the older man's arm, seeing the armor standing at the door to the compartment. "Colonel Bastard," Ed hissed, poking the man in the ribs with an automail index finger, "Colonel Bastard, wake up."

Ed was smashed against Roy's chest as the man hummed and squeezed him tighter. "Roy!" Ed said, smacking the man hard against the ribs as his own head was being crushed by Roy's firm hold. "Wake up, damn it." Coal black eyes finally opened and looked down at Ed. The man smiled a slightly dopey, half-asleep grin which might have been very endearing in a normal situation, but as Ed began darting his eyes at the doorway, glazed eyes followed his own. Roy released his hold on Ed and looked over his shoulder, finding that Al was no longer standing in silent shock at the entranceway, but grabbing the back of Roy's collar, forcibly pulling him from the bed.

"Colonel Mustang, what are you doing in bed with my brother?"

Clutching at his collar, Roy skidded backwards, feet flailing comically.

"He came in to try to make me feel better, Al." Ed was choking back laughter. "Please, Al, it wouldn't look very good if you injure a colonel in the military. You could go to jail for it.

Roy pulled his collar away from his windpipe. "You're finding this funny, aren't you?"

Ed pushed himself upright, sitting with a pleased smirk. "Unbelievably, Mustang."

"What about Marta?" Roy asked as Al released him to the ground.

"She had to use the restroom. I have to go back and let her hop back in, but first, I want to know what's going on."

Ed sighed, inching himself forward on the bed so that his feet were on the ground. "Not long after you left again with Armstrong, Roy and I decided that we'd like to be more than just friends, so we're sort of, together."

"You what? The colonel?"

Ed folded his arms and rested them on top of his stomach. "Yeah, go figure. Colonel Bastard here swings both ways."

"But you and Winry…"

"Have always been good friends and will always be." Ed sighed. "But as much as I've tried for it to be otherwise, I just never was going to see her like that." He was never going to see any girl like that, to be perfectly honest, but he figured that could go without saying. Ed pushed himself up from the bed, staggering a bit from the shaking and jarring of the moving train. Roy extended an arm, which he took to steady himself. "Al, why don't you get Marta and bring her in here before she holds herself up in the bathroom?"

The suit nodded a bit, then left the compartment, though Ed had a sense that for Al, this was far from over. For a moment, he considered warning the colonel, then decided against it. Let Al take him by surprise. He'd gotten enough of his younger brother's lectures in the past. It was Roy's turn. Placing a hand on one of the walls, Ed sidled to the small bench seat on the other side.

"Ed, shouldn't you be lying down? And what about the suit? Are you going to put it on?"

Ed reached up and grasped Roy's hand, pulling him onto the bench beside him. "Like it or not, Roy, we have to trust her. Marta's coming to Risembool with us, and there's no way I'm spending my entire time at Auntie Pinako's house wearing that hot, heavy fat suit." Roy ran a hand over Ed's stomach, his hands lingering as the babies were wiggling. "Yeah, they're awake, too." He looked up at Roy. "Did you honestly think I was going to stop taking the hormones because of the Rockbells?"

"I tried to blow my head off because of the Rockbell's, Ed." Ed winced at the bluntness of Roy's words. "Ten years later, I still try to drink myself into a stupor because of the Rockbells."

"Does it ever get any easier to live with?" Ed asked, twining his fingers with Roy's. "Knowing you've killed someone?"

"You learn to cope. It isn't easy, but you learn to do it."

0o0o0o0

"_I don't remember you drinking so much before," Zolf Kimbee said to Roy as they sat at the makeshift officer's club just outside of the front lines of Ishbal. "You really should take it easy. You're only a kid." _

"_I'll be twenty next month," Roy said, slamming back another shot of vodka. _

"_Like I said, a kid." _

"_I killed people, Major. I'm not a kid." _

"_I kill people every day, and I have for a lot longer than you have." Kimblee sat next to Roy, ignoring the fact that the young major obviously didn't want the company. "You could have taken the easy route in the military, become a pencil-pushing desk jockey or joined the mass of troops, where you wouldn't have to look someone in the eye before you kill them. But you chose to become a state alchemist because of your ambition, Major, and don't pretend you didn't." _

_Roy poured another glass of the clear liquid and swirled it around, watching the way the alcohol clung to then slid down the sides of the glass. "And what do you expect me to do? Become a sick son of a bitch who actually enjoys this?" _

"_This sick son of a bitch isn't the one working on alcohol poisoning." Kimbee stood up. "We all snap one day or another. You just have to decide how long you can hold out before you do."_

0o0o0o0

Remembering back as he sat with Ed, Roy had had no one then, no one to comfort him when it happened, so if he could be that for Ed, be for Ed the way Hughes had been when he returned back, he would be. If he could keep that cold killer's look from dulling those gold eyes permanently, as Ishbal had done for his own, Roy would do anything he could.

0o0o0o0

After a two-day train ride, Ed and Roy together and Marta on her own taking turns with the bed, the train pulled to a stop in Risembool.

Given the time to talk, the group spoke on what they could, as Roy had managed to discover a transmutation that would make walls soundproof. Marta gradually grew more trusting of the two state alchemists and was in complete awe that Ed was very pregnant. Her amusement was so overwhelming that Roy had to finally ask her to stop rubbing the blond's stomach. Ed would never have told her, as the idea of the babies made her more inclined to trust them both, but Ed seemed to be having more moments where he really didn't welcome extra human contact, part of the hormones and the pregnancy, Roy supposed, and constantly allowing the snake chimera to rub his belly was beginning to make Ed more irritable to both Al and Roy.

As they talked, Marta and Al explained why Ed had been able to defeat Greed without the use of remains. They had seen Lyra, apparently Dante's previous student who was seeking the old woman's property, use a transmutation circle and a skull to bind Greed and then break down his regenerative abilities. Lyra had looked more that willing to kill him, but he had fled, hearing that Fullmetal was inside the mansion, almost as though he was choosing his killer. That fact seemed to prevent the young woman from hating Ed, knowing Greed had chosen him for a reason.

Ed, meanwhile, apologized over and over to Al for not knowing that he had been captured and for not behaving

for his irrational self, as he might have done before the babies, going out on the off chance that Al had been captured, to make sure that the younger Elric knew the risk. Hell, more than likely, he'd have been with him to fight Greed at the time of the capture. Roy could tell that Ed was feeling guilty for breaking the promise that he'd made the Al that he wouldn't let being pregnant affect their search to restore their bodies.

One topic that was never broached by either of the state alchemists was that of Winry's parents, deciding it would be better if they broke that to everyone at once.

Roy stood at Ed's side, guiding the teen in the fat suit as he stepped from the train, Al down at the bottom of the steps, Marta inside, guiding Ed down to the platform. Roy could see Ed searching for a sign of the blond girl.

"I told her to bring some form of transportation, she may be outside."

Roy held tightly to Ed's arm, noticing that without the movement of the train, his legs seemed a little shaky; he guided the teen out front of the depot toward a beaming, waving Winry, sitting atop a tractor, with a flat-bed trailer behind it.

"Gods, this is going to be an uncomfortable ride," Ed muttered.

"At least we don't have to walk, Brother."

"Small consolation, Al," Ed said. Roy saw that Winry seemed to just be noticing Fullmetal's size for the first time, her eyes widening and jaw becoming slack.

When they approached the tractor, she asked, "What happened to you?"

"Side effects of his illness," Al answered, with a calm voice that forced Roy to raise an eyebrow. He had no idea the younger Elric could lie this well. Roy hopped down first onto the trailer, silently cursing in pain as it felt like every nerve in his legs were tingling with pain, though apparently, not hiding the wince on his face.

"Old men shouldn't try to act like teenagers," Ed teased as Roy held up his arms to the blond and guided him carefully onto the wooden floor of the trailer. The colonel was grateful that Ed wasn't being stubborn about receiving help, but a content Fullmetal was almost more disturbing than an argumentative one.

They rode in near silence, Winry appearing to be trying to gather her thoughts. The only noise Ed made was the occasional grunt as the tractor bounced over rocks or potholes. Roy wanted to pull the teen onto his lap or do something to provide some cushioning, but with Winry there, pulling the blond onto him was definitely not an option. They had been traveling for some time when Roy noticed that Ed was looking more uncomfortable than ever, his face flushed and breathing a little ragged. Without thinking, he placed the back of his hand to Ed's clammy forehead.

"I'm not fevered, Mustang, I'm sweating to death. I've got to get out of this." Ed looked up at Winry. "I'm going to need you to pull over. Because you're going to wreck if you don't."

"What are you saying, Ed? You think I can't drive or something?"

"No, Winry. Just trust me on this." Winry pulled the tractor over as far as she could on the dirt road and brought it to a stop. "Al, you go first. Marta's got to be dying in there." Al lifted off the helmet of his armor and allowed Marta to slink her way out, much to Winry's disbelief.

After very brief introduction and an explanation of how Marta was able to move the way she did, Marta sat on the trailer beside Al, and Winry moved as though to shift the tractor into gear. "He isn't done yet," Roy said, looking down at Ed. Winry twisted around to watch as Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the oversized body he'd created, transmuting it back into a loose pile of clothing. As Ed pushed the remaining shirts and pants off his body, Winry looked as though she might fall off of the seat. The shock made her unsteady, and Al helped guide her down from the tractor to stand in front of Ed.

She stood, gaping in shock, the three alchemists trying to explain what they could, skipping over the subject of Roy and Ed as a couple and the reason for their last fight. Her hand outstretched, she asked for permission to touch his stomach. Though Ed granted it, he seemed surprised that she first pulled up his shirt, as though trying to find physical confirmation that, yes, her _male_ best friend for their entire lives was in fact carrying twins. She pushed Ed's shirt over the stretched stomach and slightly protruding belly button. As though they knew they were getting attention, the babies began to move and Roy witnessed something that was both awe-inspiring and disturbing. He could see from where Aideen rested inside of Ed, a sharp, quick movement momentarily jutting out the skin, and then disappearing. Roy had known he would feel the babies, but by no means did he expect to actually see them.

"Holy crap," Roy muttered.

With a grin, Ed said, "She's closer to the front than before, so we can actually see her boxing me from the inside."

It took some time for Winry to regain herself, looking as though she had more to ask Ed, but not wanting to do it in front of Roy and Marta. The rest of the ride to the Rockbells was awkward, but Winry seemed to like the idea that there would be two little babies she'd get to gush over, and she didn't have to be the one to carry and deliver them.

The tractor finally came to a stop in front of a house Roy had visited before, almost six years ago when he'd found Ed barely more than a child, missing two of his limbs. A tiny woman, smoking a pipe exited the house, followed by a black and white dog with an automail front paw. Behind them both, a man still in the shadow of the house stood in the doorway.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Ed said, his words practically spat from his mouth.

"Who?" Roy asked as he got his bearings and stood to his feet.

"My father, the asshole is standing right there."

"Father?" Al asked, rising form his seated position. The large armor practically leapt from the trailer and ran toward the tall man, who stepped out onto the porch beside Pinako Rockbell and looked at Al strangely behind his glasses.

Roy climbed down from the flatbed and offered a hand to Ed, but the stubborn nature of the blond had returned and he was having none of Roy's help. With surprising speed, Ed climbed down from the trailer, stomped over to his father and punched him under the chin with his right hand. "What the hell do you think you're doing back here? You have no right. No right to come back!"

"Brother!" Al knelt down to pick Hohenheim up, helping the man to his feet.

"This son of a bitch left mom right after you were born. He abandoned us both and left mom." With anger in those gold eyes, Ed glared at his father. "Did you even know she was dead? Did you have any idea she was sick, or did you even bother to check on how we were doing at all while you were gone?"

"Al's body…" Hohenheim said, "your arm…"

"We tried a human transmutation to bring her back. We didn't have anyone, no one to guide us, no one to stop us. So if you want to lecture us about it, you can just shove it up your ass."

By this point, Roy noticed that Hohenheim's eyes had fallen on the large bulge on Ed's stomach and his more feminine chest.

"Your stomach," the tall man said.

"Your grandchildren." With a turn of his head so violent, it threw his blond braid completely over his shoulder. "I won't stay in the same house with him. I refuse. There's a hotel down the road a ways. We can stay there. Al, it's up to you what you want to do."

"Edward Elric," Pinako said, looking sternly at the teen, so much so that Roy instinctively inched closer to Ed. "You are going to tell me exactly how this happened. Do you understand?"

"Riza Hawkeye, his girlfriend, was shot. I tried to save her with alchemy. I saved the babies, and now I'm over six months pregnant. There is your explanation, now I want to go." Roy felt a little struck by the harshness of Ed's words, but when the gold met his onyx, for just a moment, the anger in those large eyes began to wither. "I'm sorry." Ed rubbed Roy's arm with his left hand. Roy had begun to notice that when Ed was feeling particularly emotional or apologetic, he made sure that it was the human hand that made the gesture.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mustang? Is that right?" Pinako asked.

"Colonel," Roy corrected with a polite smile.

"Well, Colonel, would you like to come inside?" Her voice was somewhat cold as she made the offer.

"I-I shouldn't. Really, I never should have. I'm not just here for moral support for Ed while he gets these adjustments made on his automail. I…" Shocked as much as stumbling over his words, Roy felt Ed grab hold of his hand and squeeze it tightly, callused fingers reassuring him silently that he had support in this. "I was the one who executed your son and daughter-in-law."

"We know," Pinako said.


	28. Chapter 28

**Warning: Lemon and sexual content this chapter**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**Chapter 28 **

_**A Night Together**_

"I was the one who executed your son and daughter-in-law."

"We know," Pinako said.

Roy looked up at the woman. "You know? And you can still be cordial to me?"

Winry stepped forward to Roy and grabbed his hand in hers, where he focused his attention, unable to look the girl in the face.

"Winry?" Al said. Ed watched as his brother's hands clenched. Given the opportunity, Ed realized that his little brother would have easily punched Roy just for the memory of finding Winry so crushed by the deaths of her parents. Ed looked over at Pinako. Apparently, she didn't share the same sentiment of forgiveness that Winry did, but that was in their natures. There was an understanding in the older woman's face though no sign that she truly forgave Roy, but in the blonde's face it was obvious that she didn't understand the reasons that led to her parents' deaths, but could forgive the man who'd been ordered to kill them.

"Why? Why aren't you yelling at me, trying to hurt me like I deserve?" Roy looked genuinely confused. Ed continued to hold onto the man's hand, while he brought his right up to rub his arm. Though he realized with this movement he was making his relationship with the colonel quite obvious, Ed decided he'd deal with Winry and Pinako's interrogation later if he could offer even an ounce of support to Roy.

"During the rebellion in Central a number of automail mechanics were pulled into the service of the government for the soldiers. I took care of some of their clients, several of them veterans of Ishbal. I couldn't help but ask about my parents. Some remembered them, some didn't. But you," Winry released Roy's hand, "you they talked about as a great leader, someone who risked everything to protect your troops, someone who after the death of my parents tried to keep casualties as low as possible. Then, finally, there was one who knew that you were the one to kill them and knew you nearly killed yourself for it."

Ed wrapped his arm around Roy's, looking up at the stone expression on Roy's face. Ed had seen this before, this cold façade he so easily put up. The man was fighting back tears, and Ed knew it. He'd seen this same look on Roy's face when he'd been bleeding in bed and when Roy set fire to Greed for attacking him.

"I had months before I could see you to actually confront you, and then there was so much that was more important: Lieutenant Hawkeye, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, and a mysterious illness that Ed had contracted." Winry glanced down at Ed's stomach. "I've had a lot of time to think about it, Colonel Mustang, and the simple fact is that though I haven't completely forgiven you, I am trying and have been for months."

Ed could almost watch as the detached expression on Roy's face began to crack. Ed moved his left hand from Roy's and wrapped it around the older man's back as he watched the tears start to fall. Without shame, Roy sobbed, and Ed tightened his embrace on the man as his body shook violently. How many years had the colonel wanted to tell the Rockbells?

Pinako showed very little sympathy, and Ed thought part of her enjoyed seeing that the death of her son still troubled the man Ed loved. Winry, despite the old wound, seemed to want to stop the colonel's pain and put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Come on in, all of you," Pinako said. "There's a pot of coffee on you are more than welcome to, Colonel, and Edward, Winry will get your automail fixed. What's wrong with it?"

"It got damaged in a fight."

"You're fighting in your condition?" Hohenheim asked.

"I didn't have a choice, and it isn't your problem anyway."

"And what about you?" Hohenheim said to Roy. "You don't try to stop him?"

"If you knew me at all, you'd know that there was not way he could stop me. Besides, he probably kept me from getting killed." Trying his best to ignore his asshole father, Ed then shifted his weight to his human foot and let the other dangle just a bit. "I also grew an inch and a half."

Winry put an arm behind him and walked him into the house. Ed wasn't stupid and knew she was doing this because she thought he was a little weak and needed her help, but he pretended that it was simply because she was his friend. It was easier that way, as he'd learned with accepting Roy's help, not that he'd ever tell him.

While Winry led Ed upstairs, he watched as Roy was surrounded by Al, Pinako, and Ed's bastard father. From the looks on their faces, Roy was in for a bit of a lecture, probably done on the teen's behalf. Marta seemed to decide it was better to remain outside.

Together, Ed and Winry reached a bedroom, where his friend already had numerous pieces of automail material laid out. "An inch and half, Ed? Pretty soon you'll come up to my nose."

"I'm damn near looking you in the eyes and you know it." Winry grinned mischievously and pulled Ed to a chair. "Please be careful, Winry," he said looking down. "I've taken a bit of a beating lately, and I know I've overdone it… For them, of course, not me." He rested his left arm on top of his stomach, which he found to be a comfortable position on occasion, the thing making a decent arm rest.

"So, you and the colonel are going to be parents?" Winry said as she pulled out a screwdriver and began loosening the plate on Ed's forearm. "Is that all?"

"I don't know, but so far, it doesn't seem like it."

"Do you care about him?" Ed glanced up beneath his blond bangs, seeing that her face looked a little hurt. He had always only saw her as simply a friend, but looking at her now, Ed realized she must have thought there was a possibility of something different.

"I do, Winry."

"You know," she said as she removed the plate and began tinkering inside the open wires and metal parts, "everyone always thought you and I would have been together." She patted his stomach. "Though I guess no one really counted on that." She resumed her work on his arm.

"I've tried to think of you that way all of my life. It certainly would have made things easier. Best friend and automail mechanic in a wife seems perfect. Instead, I get myself involved with a man who can get me angrier than anyone else, who has enough baggage to sink a ship, and who is my superior and can't outright let anyone know we're together." Ed rested his head in his left hand, allowing Winry to work. "But, why is that any surprise? I never manage the easy way in anything."

0o0o0o0

Later that night, Roy and Ed arrived back in their hotel room, Ed immediately removing the fat suit that tightly hugged his body.

"I hate that damn thing," he said as he stepped over the pile of clothes.

"You created it, Ed. You could just as well have dressed like you did on our date."

"I'm not dressing like a woman again to have Al and Winry see me like that."

Lugging two suitcases, Roy looked around the room. "Bare essentials," he said as he looked at the dresser, bed, bedside table and lamp.

"Well, Risembool isn't exactly the tourist destination for Amestris." Roy placed Ed's smaller suitcase on the bed, while Ed began rooting through it, pulling out a syringe and bottle. "I figure I'm due for an injection. Doc said it's absorbed better, and the kids have been through enough in the last few days."

Ed handed Roy the needle and hormones. "You'll probably have to use my leg again. I tried to do this on the train and bruised my arm pretty bad."

Roy stepped over to the washbasin and dipped a washrag in the water while Ed calmly removed his pants. Part of the older man regretted the loss of the red blush that used to appear on the blond's entire body when there was any sense of intimacy. Roy turned around to find Ed standing in his boxers, pants kicked to the side. Ed balanced his weight on the left automail leg while he extended the right, hands pressed to the dresser. Roy knelt behind Ed, pulling the hair band from the blond hair as he did.

"What was that for?"

"I like your hair," Roy said as he rubbed over the knee joint with the wet washrag. He handed it to Ed before lightly blowing on the back of the teen's leg. He smiled as he watched the fair hairs on stand on end. Roy couldn't explain it, being this close to Ed at the moment felt better than ever before. Finally, the weight he'd carried around all those years was gone, and he was with the person he loved. For just once in his life, things seemed to be right in Roy Mustang's world.

"Stop messing around back there," Ed said. In response, Roy placed a kiss to the back of the teen's thigh. "If you can't manage to concentrate, I'll just have to do it myself." Roy trailed a hand up Ed's inner thigh "S-stop that."

Roy grabbed the syringe and filled it before injecting it into the soft flesh at the back of Ed's knee joint. He stood, running his hands through the blond hair, undoing the twists of the long braid. He really did love that hair, it's smooth, satiny texture and its smell. It smelled so distinctively of Ed, that musky scent, mixed with motor oil from the automail. Ed partially ignored Roy's movements, walking over to the bed, groaning in frustration as he did.

"I thought for sure that once the automail was evened out, I'd get to walk normally," Ed said.

"Can't blame your waddle on a short leg anymore," Roy said, biting his bottom lip to fight a smile, not wanting to get the young man upset.

"You say any more, I'll have to hurt you." Ed sat on the bed, then laid on his side, facing the rest of the bed. Roy pulled off his shoes, then shirt and pants, leaving himself in only his white tank top and boxers, taking the lead from Fullmetal, who had laid down still in the boxers and his black shirt. Ed was resting on his right side, the automail arm beneath a pillow to prop his head up. Roy laid opposite him, head resting on his hand, elbow propped up on the surprisingly soft pillow.

"What did Al and Auntie Pinako have to say to you?" Ed asked.

Roy reached across and pushed a piece of Ed's loose blond hair behind the young man's ear. "They wanted to know my intentions toward you."

"And what did you tell them?"

"I told them that I loved you, and that my only intention is to be with you as long as you can stand me." Roy leaned down and kissed Ed's forehead before resuming his former position. "Al did most of the talking, Mrs. Rockbell just looked at me rather disapprovingly, but I think that will be her expression in general when it comes to me."

Ed ran the palm of his hand down Roy's face, the dry skin of the palm catching on the dark stubble. "She may never forgive and forget, but Auntie Pinako can understand." Roy unconsciously leaned into the teen's touch. "I hope they weren't too hard on you."

"Just enough to let me know they loved you as much as I do." Roy leaned down and pressed his lips against Ed's. When Roy leaned back, Ed's eyes seemed to be looking past him, rather than at him.

"What about my father? Did he say anything?"

"He was recovering from the nasty hit to his jaw, but mostly, he was in shock. In shock that you and Al tried human transmutation, that you hit him, that you're gay, and that you're pregnant. It was all a bit much for him to take. He seemed to take everything that was said in, and when it was all over, he asked me about you, to tell him more about you."

"Bastard would know if he'd just stuck around." Ed's hand moved down to his stomach. "You know, at least I have one consolation. As long as I'm just _around_, I'm bound to be a better parent than he was." Roy moved his own hand to the bulge. "He just left Mother with Al and me to raise. He left us alone." Ed continued to move his hand, bumping Roy's as he did, moving away for just a moment.

"You know that I'm not going anywhere either, right Ed?" Roy asked. Ed nodded. "I really do love you."

Roy began to rub his hand beneath the teen's shirt, for want of real contact with him. Roy ran a hand over the warm, taught skin. He leaned forward and once again kissed Ed, licking against the chapped lips, which parted, but with far less of a submissive nature than before, almost immediately jutting his own tongue against Roy's lips. The colonel tilted his head, deciding that if the teen wanted a fight for dominance in this kiss, he'd let him go ahead. Their lips were mashed against one another, and Roy couldn't help his roaming right hand.

Ed pulled away, looking down at Roy's hand, which had hiked up the black shirt. "Do you really want me like this?"

"I want you, like this or otherwise." When he saw tears welling up in those amber eyes, as they sometimes did when the older man said something kind or showed his love, Roy lunged at the teen's neck and began to kiss and suck at the skin, doing his best to earn a moan from the blond and stop the hormonal tears that left Ed feeling embarrassed. When he finally succeeded, he began pushing at the waist of the other's boxer shorts, rubbing his hand along the flesh of Ed's lower back.

"Roy? Could we tonight?"

The Flame Alchemist pulled back and looked over his younger lover, looking for any sign of doubt. "Ed, do you really want to? Do you think you're ready?"

"Yes. You'll have to be careful, though."

"We'll need lubrication." Roy slid out of bed and went to his suitcase, where he felt certain there was a bottle of oil still inside of a zippered compartment.

"You brought some with you?" Ed asked. "You _are_ a pervert."

"Massage oil, Ed, for your back. But it will work all the same." Roy walked back to the bed, holding the bottle. "Who's the pervert?" Roy crawled onto the bed, sitting on his knees, looking at Ed. "How do you want to…?" Roy ran a hand down Ed's soft cheek as the blond pushed himself up on his right arm, looking at Roy confused. "Position, Fullmetal."

"You're actually offering?" Roy inched closer, grabbing Ed's hand. "Have you ever been bottom before… I don't want details, just an answer."

"Yes. I have."

"Does it feel… Is it good?"

"If the person knows what they're doing." With a smug grin mastered over the years, Roy added. "So, for you, it should feel pretty damn good."

"Arrogant bastard."

Roy, dropping the sealed bottle on the bed crawled over top of Ed. "You know it."

"That's one hell of a build-up, Colonel. Can you live up to it?" Roy leaned down and kissed Ed, both ending it in a grin.

Roy began pulling his tank top over his head as Ed sat himself up, ripping off the black shirt he wore. He moved to push down his boxers, but Roy stopped him. "For me." Ed rolled onto his back, a position that would probably not last exceptionally long while Roy laced an index finger in either side of the waistband and eased the remaining garment over the broadened hips and the hardening member beneath. As the band grazed over the blond pubic hair and mostly hard cock, Ed hissed. Roy smiled, pulling the underwear over the mismatched legs and finally tossing them on the floor.

Knowing that it would be awkward for Ed to do the same for him, Roy slid off the bed, quickly removing the socks from his feet, then slowly easing the blue boxers from his own waist, pulling at the waistband and easing them down over his hips, over his own aching need, then letting them wiggle to the floor.

"What if we're noisy?"

"I'm hoping we are," Roy said, not fighting a smirk as he crawled back in bed.

"This is my hometown, Roy." The colonel nodded, trying to remain patient, understanding that Ed was nervous, that this was his first time. It took all the resistance that Roy had in himself not to pounce his young lover, who looked absolutely gorgeous, not that he'd tell him unless he felt like being hit..

0o0o0o0

From where he laid, Ed could see the frustration on Roy's face, though the older man tried to hide it as he stood from the bed and walked over to his suitcase, pulling out a piece of chalk and drawing the soundproofing array on the wall. After activating it, Roy walked back over, and Ed couldn't help but notice that the man seemed to have deflated a bit with the wait, while Ed was harder than ever after watching the older man bend over to get the chalk, giving Ed a bit of a show. When Roy crawled, literally, back onto the bed, Ed tried to situate himself where he was comfortable, turning to place his left arm beneath his body.

"Turning away from me?" Roy said teasingly. As he moved to face Ed and place a kiss on the teen's cheek, then lips, then neck. Ed laced his right hand in Roy's hair, not even caring that he was all but whimpering when the man licked and sucked at his neck, capturing the skin there with such an intense blend of pleasure and pain, Ed felt certain he would have a mark. He'd get him back for that later.

Roy moved his head back up, plundering Ed's mouth while his hand moved south, teasing all around Ed's already firm member, but never touching it.

"Stop playing around, damn it," Ed ordered, breaking off their kiss.

Obliging, Roy moved his head down, Ed moaning as that man's tongue began tracing circles around the nipples, one hand fondling the breast opposite that of the mouth. All Ed could do was run his right hand over the man's shoulders, wishing that he could only feel him as more than a presence with that hand. Roy pushed back Ed's right leg as far as it would go with the obstructing belly. One of Roy's hands reached around Ed to retrieve the bottle, while the other encircled Ed's manhood. Even the weight of the babies couldn't stop Ed from at least trying to thrust, desperate for any touch. As he felt those soft hands he loved so much slide easily, Ed let out a slight cry. When Roy removed his hand to open the bottle of oil, Ed shifted his hips instinctively searching for something to brush against, something to help with his need.

"This is going to feel strange, Ed," Roy said as he dribbled a bit of the oil onto his hands. The dark head was eclipsed completely by Ed's stomach as it tipped down and engulfed the younger man, tongue swirling skillfully, so that Ed felt certain he might lose control of himself before they even started. One of Roy's oil-slicked hands began to fondle, roll, even tickle areas below. It, too, soon abandoned its work as it shifted Ed's leg onto a strong shoulder and began stroking the teen's inner thigh, making Ed tremble at the mere contact and the strange slickness of the oil, moving achingly slow down between Ed's cheeks.

Ed could feel a single digit swirling around the outside of his hole, rubbing and massaging as all thought on what was going behind disappeared as Roy took all of Ed into his mouth.

"Oh, Damn!"

Ed wondered if that sensation ever got old, if he could possibly tire of the feeling of Roy opening his mouth and his throat to accommodate every inch. It was no time before Ed realized that this moment of pure bliss had been nothing more than a distraction tactic, as Roy's finger was no longer circling but beginning to probe someplace Ed really had never considered an entrance. But, as the man's mouth and head began to move on Ed's member, he once again lost his concern over what was occurring at his backside. The feeling wasn't painful, but it certainly wasn't one he'd consider pleasant either. As the finger moved deeper, the discomfort increased and he found his hips jerking less because of the pleasure at the front, but rather because he wanted to cease the feeling of intrusion at the rear.

The man pulled away. "Ed, you need to relax."

"Ea-easy for you to say. You don't have a finger up your--aah!" Roy once took all of Ed, doing it so quickly skillfully that in a more coherent state of mind, the young alchemist might have questioned where such practiced ability came from. At the moment, he was only concentrating on the sheer ecstasy of being completely buried in his lover's mouth.

But even that wasn't enough as the finger began to move, swirling and thrusting, the sensation completely foreign. Roy began to move his head; with a ferocity Ed hadn't really seen anywhere but in battle, Roy was working on Ed, making him certain he wouldn't last, and wondering if Roy would still proceed if Ed completed before they were done.

A second finger wiggled to join its mate, as Ed yelled out in surprise. He felt he was no longer as near his climax, and the sensation of having those fingers both moving, scissoring wasn't helping. Roy had to have been lying to him when he'd said this was pleasurable. So far as Ed could sense, it was only a massive discomfort and occasional pain, feeling something alien probing at him.

Then, Roy struck something that made Ed buck.

"Again." Ed had momentarily lost the ability to form full sentences.

He felt Roy moving inside again, finding the spot that made his scream in pleasure. Even as the older man added a third finger, the teen couldn't bring himself to care, just as long as it meant that something would strike that bundle of nerves again. As he continued with his fingers, Roy's mouth never stopped doing absolutely incredible things

"Roy. I'm going to… Too soon…" Ed clenched at the sheets, certain he was ripping them with his metal hand as Roy never ceased at either end, even daring to add another and final finger.

"Oh, Gods, I… Roooy!" Ed's body tensed, the colonel swallowing all that he could, then withdrawing.

Ed watched as the head rose, tongue lapping up what the mouth had failed to catch and he shifted to place himself on the bed behind Ed, as though they were about to spoon in their sleep. The hand withdrew from Ed's entrance as he did.

"Roy, I'm so sorry. I tried to warn you."

"Sorry? For what? Now I get to brag that I got you to do that twice in one night." Twice? With what was going on behind him, Ed had been surprised to have managed it once.

Roy began kissing Ed's bare back, his mouth moving over each scar, at each place the automail on his shoulder met the flesh. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too, Roy."

The colonel slid his hand down between them and hard as Ed tried craning over his shoulder, he could only feel as Roy placed something large at Ed's stretched entrance.

Ed tried to suppress any noises, but hard as he fought a damned squeal actually escaped his lips when he felt Roy pushing. Roy rubbed down Ed's side and leg, pausing once the head of his member was fully inside. Ed recalled that there was still at least six more inches to come, and wondered how exactly his body was going to accommodate it.

"Ed, are you okay?"

"Hurts. Is it supposed to?"

"It does at first, but I can stop."

"No. I want to do this."

"Ed, can you put your leg up on mine?" Roy's leg was bent between Ed's and the teen lifted his flesh leg, grunting as his own movements made the member in him shift. He placed the whole of his leg's weight on his lover's, while Roy's hand reached around. That hand began pumping while Roy eased further in, probably no more than an inch, but continued his pumping, his mouth repeatedly kissing and sucking Ed's back and shoulders. This process continued until Ed started to accept the feeling of being overly full and wanting to see if Roy could hit that spot inside once again.

Ed moved his hips, signaling to Roy to move, while his hands gripped at the edge of the mattress.

Ed could feel the friction, and despite discomfort, the pain was lessening, and even his own body was responding. Roy's thrusts became harder and finally his penis ran over that bundle inside, making Ed see stars and bringing him to full attention. There was no real word formed as Ed yelled out and Roy continued to move more irratically, moving his hand in time, the longer leg pushing Ed's closer to his body, granting Roy more access.

"Ed you are so good. So, so good."

In the midst of this, Roy had pushed himself up onto his arm, and was leaning partially over Ed. The dark head kissed at the automail shoulder, while Ed turned and looked over at him, his dark eyes half-lidded, and a look on his face that Ed really wanted to capture in a photograph. Ed's back was arching, making it surprisingly easy to meet the man's lips, knowing it was partly because of the other man's height. Their lips met together, tongues barely able to do more than touch before Ed was once again moaning as Roy's gyrating hips allowed him to hit that magnificent spot and nearly made Ed black out.

"Roy…"

Ed began to thrust against the man, difficult as it was for the blond, meeting his hips.

"So close…" Ed warned.

Roy continued to pump in no particular rhythm, Ed making whatever little movements he could to increase his own pleasure, his muscles tensing, making him aware just how close he was to the edge. The speed of Roy's movements increased, pushing Ed over, making him spill his speed on the bed, his orgasm coming fast and stronger than any he'd experienced before.

"Rooooy!" He screamed and screamed as he felt himself tense around Roy, who managed a few final thrusts before shooting into Ed, a shout escaping his own lips, sounding as though it was the start of Ed's name, some of the white stuff running down the path of the automail and flesh seam below.

They laid boneless, Ed content to let Roy remain inside of him for a while until he finally needed to move. When his lover withdrew, Ed mumbled something about being pretty damn good before placing a chaste kiss on Roy's lips and going into a sound sleep.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29 **

_**Discussion**_

Roy pitied Ed, who'd risen at least a dozen times in the night to go to the bathroom. Roy also felt sorry for himself because the matress on the bed never failed to shake and squeak each time the teen rose from the bed, waking him in the process. During one of his lover's trips, while he remained awake until the matress shifted and moaned as his lover re-entered, Roy had thought to un-soundproof their hotel room, as he had asked Hohenheim to meet with him the next morning, and Marta was sleeping just down the hall. The odds that someone might knock on their door was very good, and Roy did not want to take the chance of failing to hear it and having someone barge inside unannounced

Roy had also managed to pull on a pair of pajama pants at about three that morning while watching Ed in concern and amusement trying to run down the hallway to the bathroom without getting caught by the other guests. Each time, Ed would return and the two would cuddle on Roy's side of the bed--they'd made a mess of Ed's portion. Roy silently hoped that morning could come a little slower, allowing him the time with the blond, more time before he would actually have to confront the patriarch of the Elric family.

The sun had no consideration for the two lovers, and it rose, bringing with it a gentle rapping from the old woman who owned the little inn. Roy pried himself from Ed's grip before placing a kiss on his lover's forehead. Then, he walked to the door, opening it just enough to poke his head through.

"Sir, you have someone downstairs who wishes to see you, a Mr. Hohenheim Elric."

"Tell him I will be down in just a moment. I need to get a shower."

Roy grabbed a towel and a washcloth, then went to his suitcase, pulling out a pair of dark blue pants and tan sweater. As he entered the bathroom, he looked in the mirror, noticing he had the distinctive look of someone who'd just had sex, good sex. As he looked at the shitty grin that welcomed him from the bathroom mirror, he wondered if there was anything that might be capable of removing it. He seriously doubted it, not that he really wanted this feeling of euphoria to fade.

As he started the shower, he smiled to himself, with the realization that he had essentially been every one of Ed's firsts. From his first kiss to his first time making love, it had been Roy to share each of those landmark moments in the teen's life.

He did his best to make the shower as quick as possible, knowing that Ed's father was downstairs waiting on him. Roy might have lingered, might have allowed himself to get wrapped up in memories of the previous night, but he couldn't afford to. He hadn't been looking forward to this confrontation with the older alchemist, but it had to be done. If the letters he'd found in Dante's house were any sort of sign, it was long past due that someone confront Hohenheim of Light.

When Roy had finished, he dressed and went back to his bedroom to return his pajamas and retrieve the letters he'd confiscated from Dante's home, finding that Ed was just beginning to rally.

"Where are you going so early?"

"I wanted to speak to your father."

"How come?" Ed said no more, proving he was still half-asleep, as this should have earned a derogatory comment toward Hohenheim at the very least.

"Well, he didn't get to talk to me much yesterday, and I wanted to question him a bit about some things that have been nagging me about his past."

"Care to share?"

"I only have suspicions right now, Ed, so I need to talk to him, but anything I find out, I will tell you." Ed didn't entirely look pleased. "As soon as I am done talking with your father, you may interrogate me. Does that satisfy you, Fullmetal?"

Ed stuck out his tongue at Roy. "Just barely. But know I'll ask you the minute I see you again."

"I wouldn't expect anything less of a major in the military." Roy walked over to Ed and kissed him, seeing that the smile on his own face was nothing compared to Ed's. The young teen practically had it tatooed across his face what they'd done. His eyes remained half-lidded, and his lips seemed to never fail to turn up into an unconscious smile. Worse yet was the reaction they had together, since it seemed whenever their eyes met, they mirrored one another in ridiculous expressions and pleased, cheshire-like grins.

The colonel supposed that satisfaction and the continued afterglow of their sex the night before was making Ed more docile, and for the moment, he wasn't arguing. Roy had expected an argument for talking to the teen's father, but instead, he got acceptance.

And Roy was getting the hell out before any storm clouds appeared.

Roy walked down the stairs, finding Hohenheim looking at him expectantly.

"You said you wished to talk to me, Colonel Mustang."

"Why don't we go for a walk," the Flame Alchemist suggested.

They walked in silence, the taller blond looking down at the colonel, but never uttering a single word, not even one of a parental nature.

"Mr. Elric," Roy finally said when they were far enough away from the inn, "I want to know everything you know about Dante of the Deep Forest, homunculi, specifically one who calls himself Envy, and whether you have ever had a son before."

"Straight and to the point." Hohenheim said as he folded his arms across the chest.

"Always."

0o0o0o0

Ed had allowed Roy to go, honestly, figuring Roy might be able to get information out of Ed's bastard father that he, himself, would never otherwise manage without hitting his old man a few dozen times to extract it. It hadn't been an easy move, simply letting Roy go ahead and talk to his father like that, but Ed was trying so hard to trust the colonel, still trying to convince himself that Roy would tell him everything. It had been just Ed and Al for so long that it took all the blond had to force himself to trust Roy, and for once, let things go out of his own hands. He'd let Roy go, knowing the man was skilled at interrogation and had the advantage of age on Ed, meaning he could probably get Hohenheim to talk to him as an equal, rather than as a kid.

As the teen moved from bed, he groaned at the pain. Last night had been great, but pain in the ass took on new meaning this morning.

He was caked in dried body fluids and felt unbelievably gross, so not taking a shower wasn't an option. The only irritating fact was that, now that all of the guests were up, he'd have to put on the frigging fat suit just to walk the five feet down the hall to the bathroom, trying to hide both a waddle _and_ a limp. Bastard colonel.

Still, despite the mess, despite the inconvenience, despite the pain, Ed regretted absolutely nothing of the night before.

The suit on as he walked to the bathroom, Ed passed Marta, praying she didn't figure it out, hoping she didn't already know. With each person he passed in the hall, Ed grew more an more certain that the world knew what he'd done with Roy, not that the slight heat to his neck face or pleased expression he wore--that he knew had to be there--were helping matters any.

Part of him wanted to yell out and scream that he had managed to sleep with the great Colonel Mustang, that the man had confessed his love to him and that he was no longer a virgin--something that had quite honestly been a fear for the young blond, that he would deliver the baby before ever having had sex. It was bad enough that things had gone out of order, with his first kiss coming after pregnancy, but he certainly didn't want to give birth to a child before having at least managed to have sex. (Not that giving birth had ever been a thought that had crossed his mind before a few months ago.)

As he stepped out of the pile of clothes that had made up his fat suit, Ed climbed into the shower, soaping his body with a wet washrag, memories from the night before coming to mind. Unfortunately, it had added just one more reason for why he wanted to deliver these babies, and soon. He wanted to be able to have sex with Roy without the obstruction of a swollen stomach, to be able to do to Roy what the colonel had done for him.

Ed tried to imagine, once he'd recovered his body, finding a way to place Roy beneath him, after all, the colonel had offered. Ed would place his own length into his superior's hot and awaiting body. He wanted to watch Roy's eyes roll to the back of his head, and moans and cries escape the lips of the man who had practically been silent the night before.

As he stood under the hot water, Ed began to allow his hand to trail below the belly, wrapping his left hand around his length and pumping, using images of Roy wrapping his legs around Ed's thin waist--and it would return to being thin if it meant every waking hour for the next few months of Ed's life was spent working out. He would face his older lover the first time he took him. Roy had been forced to do it from behind, but Ed wanted a full show, and he wasn't going to get it looking at the back of the dark head. He would run his hands lovingly down his lover's increasingly more muscular body--Roy had been working out both to impress the athletic alchemist and to be capable of carrying him--gently stroking at the sides, tickling over the man's ribs. He would get to nibble on the man's chest and neck, lovingly showing the man the affection he deserved and watching in pleasure as Roy would scream out his name before releasing first--Ed would make sure of that. He would thrust faster, stroking past that tender spot inside that had made Ed see stars, even black-out a bit in ecstasy. Maybe he'd even be so good, he wouldn't even need to touch Roy at all, maybe just the friction of their two bodies grinding against one another would be enough to get the man off while he pounded into him.

He would make his Roy feel good and loved, just as he had the night before.

Ed's stroking became more rapid, with the fresh memories and future fantasies allowing Ed to finally find release, spurting into the bathtub with a soft groan and allowing his spilled seed to run down the drain.

0o0o0o0

At the Rockbell's Al and Winry were planning to pick up Ed in the tractor, which Winry had filled with a large, soft pile of hay, hoping it would make the journey easier on Ed.

Al felt so out of the loop with his brother that it made him grateful that he at least had Winry. All last night they had talked, at first about their daily activities and work, until Al finally asked how she had managed to at least try to forgive Roy. Given time, Al knew he would forgive the colonel, only wishing that the man had broken it to him and his brother sooner, but he was impressed with Winry's new-found ability to let old resentments drop, or at least make the attempt to do so, as she had repeated to him over and over that she was still trying to forgive the colonel.

It had been so nice to simply talk with his childhood friend, without the interference of his older brother, though he did seem to be a major topic of conversation, as Winry and Al discussed being an aunt and an uncle, as well as how much work would need to be done to prepare for the babies, and even discussing the unexpected relationship between the elder Elric and Central's womanizing colonel.

Though Al would never have dared to have admitted it before, it was also nice to know that he wasn't competing for Winry's affections, either, or that he would be expected to simply step aside for his older brother, whom he already owed so much to. Al had expected that, having to pretend he hadn't had a crush on their family friend of so many years because she and his brother would be together. He only wished he'd have known sooner, before he'd lost his body, that Ed would _never_ have any interest in Winry.

Al never would have expected it, but he had to admit that the colonel certainly seemed to make Ed happy, and it pleasantly meant there would be no more competitions over anyone's affections, as Ed seemed to have lost his interest in Winry, and Al had no intention of challenging him for Roy.

Speaking of Roy, even if it was only internally, Al watched in shock as his father and the dark haired man emerged from the woods, a sober expression on both of their faces.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 **

_**Monster**_

Roy hadn't even realized that he had reached the front porch of the Rockbells' until his feet suddenly bumped the bottom step. Dumbly realizing there was now something in his path, the black-haired man looked over at the taller blond, then back down at the porch, trying to remember how to perform the simple act of lifting his foot and shifting his weight up onto a step. Years of training for the unexpected, learning how to put up an impassive front had gone down the drain in one conversation with Hohenheim Elric that had more than confirmed Roy's suspicions.

The two men had reached the porch when the front door opened.

"Colonel," Al said, though Roy's mind only half registered it, "we were just going to get brother. Is he with you?"

Roy didn't answer.

"Colonel, are you okay? You look kind of sick."

"What?" Roy said, finally realizing that the suit of armor was talking to him. "Oh. No. I'm fine."

"Is brother around?"

"No. He and Marta are still at the inn. He was up and down all night with the babies, so I let him sleep a little longer. Why don't you go get him? I'm sure he's anxious to get out of there."

Winry still watched Roy with wary eyes, but she was making an attempt and that was more than enough for the state alchemist.

"Why don't you wait inside Colonel Mustang, Mr. Elric," Winry offered. "Grandma is out doing a quick repair job for a friend, but you are welcome to sit inside if you'd like." Winry's voice was very formal, very rigid for the young girl that Roy had remembered before she learned the truth.

Roy walked inside with Hohenheim close behind, and the two men sat at the kitchen table.

0o0o0o0

"_Mr. Elric," Roy finally said when they were far enough away from the inn, "I want to know everything you know about Dante of the Deep Forest, homunculi, specifically one who calls himself Envy, and whether you have ever had a son before." _

"_Straight and to the point." Hohenheim said as he folded his arms across his chest. _

"_Always." _

"_You have encountered Dante then?" Hohenheim said while Roy watched the man with the skilled training of an interrogator, looking for that chink in the armor, some sign of concern or trouble, but there was none. The senior Elric remained calm. _

"_She was killed by a homunculus called Greed, though we have information she is not truly dead." Roy reached into his coat pocket, pulling out several letters. "But I believe you knew her because when we were at her home, I discovered these. They appear to be every bit of the 400 years on the dates, yet they are love letters from a man named Hohenheim to Dante." _

"_Seems like a strange coincidence." _

"_I am not a strong believer in coincidence, Mr. Elric." _

"_Then, are you suggesting that I am that old?" _

_"I am merely saying that this is your handwriting_

0o0o0o0

Roy sat at the kitchen table across from the man--monster?--who had fathered his lover. Four hundred years old. Transferring his soul and that of his lover, Dante, from body to body to gain near immortality.

"So, you are a colonel in the military," Hohenheim said, his voice creepily calm as he tried to start up a conversation with Roy. "You will forgive me, but as I listened yesterday, I was at a disadvantage not knowing the basic history between you and my son."

"Yes, I am a colonel. I have been for most of the time your son's been in the military."

"And you are my son's direct superior."

"Yes."

"I cannot imaging the military views that in a very kind light."

"No Sir, they don't."

"And what of the fact that he is underage?"

"He was considered an adult at twelve when he became a state alchemist."

"That young? I knew my boys would be gifted, but twelve?"

"Al passed the written exam as well when he was only eleven." Hohenheim nodded, looking almost proud of his sons for a brief moment before continuing on.

"And what of the fact that he is male? I have visited other countries that do not look favorably on that."

"Amestris is not among those ranks. Quite honestly, though it is never publicly admitted, the military prefers their soldiers to have relationships that do not provide the added concern of children, whatever form they take. " Roy moved his hands to their familiar steepled position, regaining a bit of himself. "Not that this is one of them. But the preference of the military is why there have never been any sanctions against same-sex marriage."

Roy looked across the table at the man who resembled Ed, yet could not have been more different from him. Even in his presence, there was a sense of wisdom and experience, an aura of I've-been-there-and-done-that, which came across without a single word. It made the Flame Alchemist feel inferior.

And yet, knowing what this man had done, slaughtering to create a philosopher's stone, continually placing his soul in another's body with the help of Dante, who he'd abandoned just as he had his two sons and Tricia, and bringing back his first born son through human transmutation...

0o0o0o0

"_You asked if I know of the homunculus Envy," Hohenheim said, as they walked a path in the forest toward the Rockbells. "I have heard of no one by that name." _

"_He claims he is your son." Roy analyzed the brown eyes behind those glasses. "He is also insanely jealous of both Ed and Al, hence his name." _

"_He knows of my boys?" Finally, the reaction came, one of actual worry for the boys he'd left behind. "Then so does Dante." _

"_Then he is your son," Roy said, ducking under a low branch of a tree. "Or rather your attempt to recreate him."_

0o0o0o0

"You know a great deal about alchemy, Colonel. Are you also a state alchemist, or merely well-learned in the science?"

Roy reached into his pocket and pulled out his watch, placing it on the table. "Both."

"Two parents are alchemists," the man said wonderingly. "I do not believe it has happened before. Of course, there is the third. Was she?"

"No," Roy answered, opening his watch for a quick look inside. "Riza Hawkeye was one hell of a sharpshooter, but not an alchemist."

"Hawkeye? She may not have been an alchemist, but I would place bets that her father was. Quite skilled in fire alchemy if I remember right... and he had a daughter... Riza sounds about right." Hohenheim leaned back in his chair. "Colonel Mustang, if your children turn out to be anything but the most skilled alchemists to ever live, I would be immensely surprised."

The dark-haired alchemist made no comment at that, though the thought of how powerful the twins would be had not truly crossed his mind until this moment.

Roy instead looked down at the photo he carried in his watch, a copy of one from some official gathering or another where the closest members of his unit had posed for a photo. Ed had been forced into the picture, with Maes and Breda lifting him up to eye level, much to the then-fifteen-year-old's fury. To fit it into the watch, Roy had cut off Havoc, Breda and Fuery from the ends, leaving behind only a straight-faced shot of himself, an outraged image of Ed, an amused-looking Maes, and a shot of Riza, rolling her eyes. It wasn't exactly romantic, but it was the only picture he had of them all together, and Roy wouldn't have traded this candid photo for a proper, formal shot for all the money in Amestris.

Roy traced his finger over the snapshot.

"Is that the mother?"

In his brief reverie at the photo, Roy had completely missed the tall man moving behind him. "It is."

"And the man?"

"My best friend."

The older man sighed. "That shot of my son seems to be very characteristic of him. Is he always angry?"

"He has a nasty temper, yes. That, you can be thanked for, Mr. Elric. Just like his unwillingness to trust, dislike for authority and fear of abandonment." Roy slowly closed the watch. "Your affect on your son has made my life since he entered it very difficult."

"I had little choice. I loved Tricia and the boys, but I knew I couldn't be a proper father as long as the threat of Dante and Willi--Envy hung over my head."

"You need to tell him, both of them, everything you've just told me."

"They are just boys."

"Boys who've been fighting _your_ past for far too long, Mr. Elric."

0o0o0o0

Ed arrived at the house, kicking off the last of the shirts and pants he'd used for his suit onto the flatbed. He tried so hard to fight off the contented smile on his face, but his focus had been shot to hell. It made him feel sorry for anyone who tried to start a conversation with him, as they had to repeatedly say his name, even sometimes wave in front of his face to get him to pay attention.

He tried so hard to remind himself that the stranger he acted, the more likely it was that he'd be found out and his brother and best friend would realize he'd had sex, but then every time he reminded himself of that thought, that idiotic grin crept across his face. He'd had sex. He'd made love. He'd lost his virginity. He'd gotten laid.

His mind found dozens of ways to describe what had happened last night and every single one of them curled his lips upward.

"Ed," a voice hissed in his ear. He turned to see Marta leaning close to him. "You're going to need to pay more attention to what's going on or everyone's going to know what you and the colonel did last night."

Ed's mouth hung open. "You know?"

"You think I didn't notice that you've been walking around like the cat who ate the canary?" Ed looked at his outstretched feet for a moment, tucking his hair behind his ear--Roy liked it loose, and Ed thought he'd let it that way, for today at least.

"Can you do me a favor then?" Marta looked at Ed expectantly. "Can you elbow me or nudge me if I'm doing something really obvious or stupid?"

"Gladly, kid." There was a swift elbow nudge to his arm.

"What?"

"Just practicing."

"Very funny."

Winry pulled the tractor to a stop and Ed climbed off of the trailer carefully, still cursing Roy for the pain in his backside.

"Ed," Winry said. "do you need me to check your automail? You're walking funny."

"No. Between the leg being about an inch off and my waddle," He hated having to call it that. "I guess I'm just adapting to being able to walk a little more normal, or as close as I'm going to get to normal for a while."

Leaning on the railing, Ed climbed the few stairs to the front porch while Winry opened the door and ushered them in. Roy was sitting at the table across from that bastard, while Pinako was standing brewing a pot of coffee. The colonel stood from his seat, signaling for Ed to take it, but before he did, he felt a quick jab to his ribs from Marta. Noticing the heat that had risen to his cheeks, Ed realized he was blushing furiously.

"Ed, Al, your father needs to talk to you," Roy said as Ed sat down. He felt the man's hands on his shoulders. "And you need to hear him out."

0o0o0o0

Roy was surprised with how long Ed lasted before storming out of the house. He'd actually listened to every word that Hohenheim had to say before rising from his seat and charging out the front door.

Unfortunately for Ed, he simply wasn't fast enough to keep Roy from gaining on him and overtaking him, grabbing Ed's flesh shoulder as tightly as he could without hurting him. "That bastard is a monster," Ed said, trying to wring himself free of Roy's grip. "He's a damned monster! And I'm half of him. Get away from me, Roy!"

The older alchemist refused to listen, spinning Ed around and embracing him, holding the teen's upper body flush against his own, and holding him at the waist as closely as the belly would allow.

"You are no monster, Ed." Roy leaned down and kissed the top of the blond head, not really caring that the witnesses present probably had little desire to see him do it.

"Yes I am," Ed said. "I always have been, but..." Ed was sobbing. "but this proves it. Look at what I've done. What I've done because I'm _his_ son."

Roy had his face buried in the unbound locks, cradling his lover in his arms as he heard the clanking of the youngest Elric stepping closer to comfort his older brother. The large metal hand began rubbing circles on Ed's back. "And am I a monster big brother? I'm half him, too."

"Of course not, Al," Ed said, half muffled by Roy's sweater.

"I truly am sorry, boys," Hohenheim said, still standing on the porch, as though he knew this intimate scene was not for him. "I have committed a great number of sins in my life, and you are the ones paying for them. I promise you I will do what I can to make this right."

Ed was still sobbing. "Damned hormones," he muttered. "I want to be angry at the bastard. I want to punch him again for all the shit he's done. So why the hell am I crying?"

Winry and Pinako left Hohenheim on the porch with Marta following behind them, Winry grabbing hold of Ed and Al, not seeming to mind that in the process she was hugging Roy as well. Pinako merely rubbed Ed's human hand wrapped around Roy's back, patting Al's armor in the process. Marta, seemingly at a loss for how to comfort the teen merely hovered nearby.

"Look at the people who care about you, Edward," Roy said, his fingers tangling in the blond hair. "Do you think a monster gets this kind of love?"

Looking up at Hohenheim alone on the front porch, Roy felt a though his question was answered by some greater force by a resounding "No."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0

A/N: Thanks to my reviewers, Catwoman47, I love Malfoy as a ferret, Vixyfox, edsgirl10310, moglin, Mask of Mirage, Yuyuxsan, Mistique Monique aka Mina, Karusu-Sukebe, Maximum Poofy, Luceid, Lady Drosselmeyer, Aikia Jupiter, silkendreammaid, and walkthrough as well as my anonymous reviewer/s.

Yes, this will be completed, it already is done and on 2 other sites. There's actually a sequel that has surpassed it in chapters, which will take more tweaking to be tamed down for this site, but I will give it a try posting it as well.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Okay, fair warning, we have an original character in this chapter. She is not a Mary Sue, but a character needed to fill some of the void left by Riza's death. She does not pair up with any characters in this story, and no main characters in the sequel. Her name is a play on Roy's (which is similar to French for king) and hers is close to the French for queen. Some people like her, some don't, but she's so friggin' pushy, even when I tried to avoid writing her, she nagged me until she appeared here.

**Chapter 31 **

_**The Bachelor & the Sister **_

The time that had passed at the Rockbells had not been long enough to suit either of the two Elric brothers. Ed seemed so grateful to simply be somewhere that wasn't Roy's home, actually getting to move around without the fear of being seen that when the time finally came to go back to central, Roy had nearly told the blond to stay behind and enjoy himself. But that would mean being back at his house alone, and secretly, he was being somewhat selfish about it. Still, Al and Marta were coming back with them, so Ed wouldn't be left entirely alone with the pets, making his complaints upon leaving had been minimal. But for Al, it was more the idea of having to leave his father behind in Risembool. After years of wanting to actually talk to the man, Al was desperate for every moment Hohenheim could spare.

Before leaving, they'd had to confront the hardest fact, that there _was_ a female homunculus, according to Wrath, and it could very well be the result of the attempt the teens had made at human transmutation. Knowing the only way to destroy the homunculus if the time came was to have items from the original body, Al, Roy, Marta, and Hohenheim had dug into Tricia Elric's grave, desecrating it in order to defeat a threat they were not even certain existed. Ed's fluctuating emotions had hardly been able to take it, particularly that he hadn't been capable of at least take care of this himself. He had watched from the side, with Winry comforting him as he sobbed, as the four dig into his beloved mother's resting place, only to open up her casket and remove a few remaining locks of hair that could be easily given to the four alchemists should any of them encounter her--as Hohenheim admitted he was planning to go out on his own to track Dante down.

They had been in Risembool for less than a week before having to board yet another train for Central and return to Roy's home.

Since then, more than a month had passed, Roy trying to keep things under control in Central, insurgencies from the rebellion months before gaining some ground during his absence. They feared him, not knowing that the reason he had lost control of himself, practically ending the rebellion on his own, was the result of word of Riza's injury. With the Flame Alchemist out of Central for an extended period of time, the rebels had viewed it as their opportunity. Unfortunately for them, Roy had returned and squashed their hopes of causing more trouble. However, at home Roy usually felt like he was entering a war zone. According to Dr. Knox, Ed was now about thirty-two weeks pregnant, meaning that the possibility of delivery could happen any time, and the babies, with proper medical treatment, would likely survive the premature birth, as they appeared to be healthy and, to Ed's chagrin, on the larger size of average. The Fullmetal Alchemist now spent a large amount of his time complaining how large he'd become, as even the fat suit with added clothing items was not enough to properly cover his growing belly and still allow him any real movement. The moodswings were not decreasing by any stretch of the imagination, and half of the time, the teen complained of pains of one type or another.

One of the more frightening had occurred about a week before, when Ed had been walking out to the kitchen from the study, and fell against the wall, clasping at his groin, Roy had panicked, part of him worried that the babies were coming, the other part worried that Ed's body had decided it needed to modify itself further to deliver them, and altering a part of Ed that the colonel had grown very attached to, as he was certain Ed was as well. Calling Dr. Knox, he'd told them that this happened because one of the babies had kicked the cervix, causing pain to shoot through the teen's groin. Before they were even born, at that moment, their children received their first angry lecture from Ed, including quite a bit of yelling. Roy was sure that it wasn't going to be their last.

Roy went into the study where Ed was laying in nothing more than a tank top hiked over his bulging stomach and a pair of boxer shorts. Roy, personally was wearing a sweater and wishing the young alchemist would at least allow him to build some bigger fires in the fireplaces. It had taken all of Roy's persuasive powers to convince the moody teen that the house was not ridiculously warm.

Roy couldn't help but look down at the blond, who'd taken to wearing his hair down around the house, his long golden locks cascading down into the crease of the back of the sofa and the cushions. His right arm was in a right angle, laying a few inches from his face. Roy also noticed that the cat had positioned herself under his sleeping lover. The slim calico had buried the lower half of her body under the crook of Ed's neck, her head resting on her paws, which were situated over the automail arm. It was a rather sweet sight, particularly since Ed was completely silent.

"You can stop staring," a raspy voice said. "I know I look like a beached whale."

"Ed, you don't." The teen raised his head, struggling to lift his body up, Carlida hopping down quickly, apparently having learned from previous experiences that the effort of getting up usually took several unsuccessful tries. "Do you want help?"

"No, but I'll take it anyway."

Roy grabbed hold of the metal arm, each of their hands latching around the other's thumb. Pulling the teen to an upright position, the colonel looked down at the belly, swearing he could see his babies shifting inside as well. It was then he noticed that the teen's tank top seemed to be wet.

"What the…?" Ed said, looking down. He pulled the shirt back at his collar. "They're leaking. What the hell? My boobs aren't supposed to do that." He let the shirt snap back against his skin. "I'm not even supposed to have damned boobs."

Roy didn't dare point out the irony that the teen who so hated milk now seemed to be producing it. "Let me get a washcloth and a new shirt for you."

Ed reached to his neck to the silver Flamel that had hardly left the teen's body since the day Roy had given it to him. Even angry as he'd been when he'd stormed off to Dante's, Ed had apparently worn the emblem beneath his clothing, removing it with his shirt only that first time they'd been together, a confession he'd made to Roy later.

Disappearing into the kitchen, Roy returned as he'd said he would, handing Ed the softest washcloth he had in the kitchen, wet with warm water, then went to the laundry bag by the front door, trying to find a new tank top for the teen.

He returned, watching as Ed tentatively wiped off the strange liquid and hissed with each swipe of the cloth. They were sensitive, Roy knew. Every time the teen rubbed or bumped them, a noise of one type or another escaped the thin mouth.

"I'm hungry," Ed said, pulling the new shirt over his head. He extended his arms out, hands clenching and unclenching, the silent, yet demanding request that the older man help him stand to his feet. Roy crossed his wrists, and held his hands out to Ed, who grasped them tightly.

Once on his feet, Ed placed a hand at his back and began his slow and awkward walk to the kitchen, Roy careful to walk close by, but not actually touch the blond.

"What would you like?" Roy asked as he helped Ed sit at the kitchen table.

Looking at his stomach and the distance between the rest of his body and the table, Ed mumbled, "I'd like a higher table."

"That isn't such a hard one to do," Roy said, looking for a piece of chalk in the drawer by the sink.

"No," Ed said, "Then I end up with my nose at the table." He sighed. "I look like I'm trying to smuggle a beach ball under my shirt." Roy came back over and timidly placed a hand on the teen's belly, hoping he didn't get it bitten off. A metal hand reached out and grabbed Roy's own, pulling him down a bit. Its human mate curled its finger and signaled for Roy to bend down to Ed's level. When Roy did, the young alchemist leaned up to meet his lips. "I know I'm being a pain," Ed said, as Roy allowed their foreheads to meet.

"You have two children growing inside of you, Ed, I understand. My only request is just to stop hitting me with your automail."

Ed sighed once again. Roy wasn't dense and could see how much all of this was starting to wear on him. He was a strong young man, but the lack of sleep and constant pains and movements were obviously taking their toll. The bright gold eyes had lost a bit of their sparkle and there were faint circles beneath them.

"I love you, Ed."

"Love you too." Ed darted his left hand up and ran it through the black hair. "Now, get me something to eat." Roy smiled, then went to looked through the icebox.

0o0o0o0

Elsewhere in Central, Havoc and the other men from the office were walking through the streets, Havoc, half ranting, half smiling.

"I don't know why I didn't think about it sooner. I'm so tired of my dates telling me that they are waiting on Mustang to ask them out. They need to know they don't have a shot. It's for the common good. The women of Central deserve to know, and the men of Central deserve to have a chance."

Havoc first entered a flower shop, where a young woman Havoc had been trying to get to go on a date with him for months worked. "Hello, Elsa," he said when he entered.

"Mr. Havoc, I told you I'm just not ready for a date."

"Are you always this effective with the ladies?" Falman asked, chuckling. "You manage hello and you're already shot down."

"Bite me, old man," Havoc whispered, then he looked to Elsa. "Tell me, I'm not very big on flowers, but I was wondering what kind of a basket or arrangement you'd send to new parents."

"Do you know if they are having a boy or a girl."

Looking back at the others, Havoc said, as though he didn't know, "Mustang is having both, isn't he?"

"Little boy and little girl," Breda answered, the only one of the other three that thought this was a good, hell, brilliant idea.

"I'd heard the rumors the colonel was going to be a father. He'll be such a good daddy." Elsa rested her elbows on the counter and looked off dreamily. "And he's taking responsibility for the babies."

Havoc stood in shock.

"We'll come back later," Falman said, pulling the second lieutenant by the shoulder out of the shop.

Once the stunned silence wore off, Havoc began ranting once again. "How the hell does he get credit for that? Is he that damned good in bed or what?" He jammed his hands in his pockets, trying to find his matches and cigarettes. "As far as she is concerned, he knocked his girlfriend up. And she gets all dreamy about it!"

"Kids are the world's greatest pick-up line, Jean, and the colonel's still single," Breda said.

Fuery stood in surprise at his friend's crude words, while Falman just nodded his head.

"Think about it Havoc," Falman said. "You remember when you took Elysia to the park for Mrs. Hughes?" Havoc nodded his head. "How many phone numbers did you get that day?"

Gaping like a fish, Havoc looked at Falman in shock. "Well, damn."

"You watched Elysia?" Fuery asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Havoc said, lighting a cigarette. "Done it a couple of times to give Gracia a break. Kid's pretty well behaved. I just can't smoke around her, her mother's orders."

"Hey, is that Al?" Fuery said, pointing to the large suit of armor strolling down the opposite side of the street.

"'Is that Al?'" Breda mocked. "How much brain damage do you have?"

"Really Kain," Falman said. "How many suits of armor do you know who casually walk through Central?"

"Fine, it was a stupid question. But he's walking down the street."

"Hey Al!" Breda yelled, waving. The four crossed the street to the armor.

"What's wrong?" Havoc asked. "You've hardly left your brother's side since you got back here. Even when he's at his bitchiest."

"He and Roy were getting all lovey-dovey," a female voice from inside the armor said.

"Oh, hi, Marta," Falman said. Marta had accidentally met the four from the office when they had barged into the colonel's home about a week back. Since then, they had worked with Marta, Roy and the brothers to find out more about the homunculi, much as all were concerned they might meet the same fate as Maes for their research. Marta on her own part, stayed behind for the two Elrics, protective over them to the extent of trusting they would take her to the homunculi and Kimblee, rather than deserting the boys and seeking him out on her own.

"Hey, boys," Marta said.

"Hey," they all answered in unison.

"Why don't we all go somewhere with a little more action?" Breda said. "What do you say, Marta?"

"What've you got in mind?"

"There's a bar not far--" Breda said.

"I'm underage," Al protested.

"Who can guess?" Falman said. "Do you think they're really going to ask for your I.D.?"

"Al, I've spent a month cooped up with your lovesick, moody brother and his pampering boyfriend," Marta said from within. "I need this. So if you don't move on your own, I swear to you I'm taking control."

Al complied, less than willingly.

0o0o0o0

Back at Roy's house, Ed was sitting on the sofa, Roy behind him, finishing a very long back rub that practically had Ed purring.

"Feel better?" Roy asked.

"A little." Ed fell back onto Roy's chest, the older man's arms wrapping around the teen's shoulders. Roy pressed his cheek to Ed's, the dark stubble tickling as their faces rubbed against one another. "I don't think I'll feel completely better for about another month." Roy allowed his hands to move down onto the swollen stomach. "They aren't moving quite as much. Doc says there isn't as much room for them to. They still manage the occasional kick and jab." Ed placed his hands over Roy's. "You know, sometimes, I'm scared that they'll never come out and the rest of the time I'm terrified they will."

Roy kissed Ed on the cheek. "I feel the same way at times."

Ed turned his head, meeting Roy's lips, opening his mouth and jutting his own tongue out, the older man opening his mouth in response, giving Ed incredible access at their angle.

The two didn't even notice the sound of the front door opening.

"Come on in," the one said to someone else. "You want to talk to this Edward Elric, and I need to talk to Roy."

Ed broke the kiss, not noticing the grimace on Roy's face. A woman with creamy skin, black hair pulled back into a bun, and coal black eyes entered the study, immediately walking over to the blond and placing her hands on his stomach.

"I hear you've got two of them in there," she said, rubbing around on the distended stomach. Gold eyes looked down at the woman then up at the man. "This one's a pretty one. Bet the babies will be adorable."

"Roy. Strange woman. Rubbing my stomach!" Ed choked out.

At this moment, Shezka stepped cautiously into the study, falling to a dead faint when she saw the two superior officers in a loving embrace and Ed's swollen stomach.

The woman pulled a piece of chalk out of her purse and quickly drew a small transmutation circle on the ground, creating a sort of cot beneath Shezka before turning back to Ed. "You aren't a girl." The woman looked down at the blond, with a sort of amused pleasure that Ed had often shown on his own face before discovering some new transmutation. "A transferal transmutation. I'd heard of them in theory, but never found an alchemist with the power or the will to go through with it."

"Who are you?" Ed asked.

"She's my older sister, Fullmetal."

Ed looked up at the raven-haired woman who was musing over top of him. Looking at her, the resemblance was almost uncanny. He was surprised he hadn't spotted it sooner.

"The name's Raine," she said with a smile much like the one Ed saw on Roy's face when he allowed himself to forget his pain and past for just a moment.

"You know how I did this?" Ed asked her.

"I'm a medical alchemist, Baby." She said the word "Baby" as though she was addressing a small child. She looked up at the older man behind him. "You didn't even tell him you had a sister? I'm hurt."

"You haven't exactly had contact with me," Roy said, still not moving his hands from Ed's stomach.

"Well, you went and joined the military without my approval. And don't talk about contact. You hardly talked to me either. Come on, Pyro, you're going to be a father. What did you expect me to do when I heard?"

"Pyro?" Ed asked.

"I've called him that since we were kids." She patted Ed on the cheek. "You're so young. God, Pyro, how old is this kid?"

"I'll be seventeen next week." Ed moved her hand from his face, noticing that she had tattooed her palms, much like Kimblee.

"Lets me do healing transmutations." She smiled warmly at Ed and patted his left hand. "You're a strong one, I can tell. Do you have any family?"

"I have a little brother who should be home any time now."

"Well, you just gained a big sister, Baby."

"Do you have to keep calling me that?" She didn't respond, merely grinned, letting him know the answer. Turning his head once again, Ed whispered, "How exactly does someone like you have a sister like that?"

"I wondered the same thing every day of my childhood."


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32 **

_**Birthday**_

It had taken some time to revive Shezka, and after explaining the entire situation to her, she explained to Ed that she'd come over with research she'd done into Maes's death. There had been a lot of convincing on Ed's part to make her trust Roy; after having watched his displays of unwavering loyalty to the military, she was obviously less than inclined to believe he genuinely was looking for his friend's killer. Promising to return with what she could carry, she'd excused herself from the colonel's house, obviously uncomfortable with the new couple even more so than the idea of Ed's pregnancy.

Al returned back at the house with four officers in varying stages of inebriety, Ed had been at the kitchen table, eating once again, and nearly fell off of his chair in laughter when Raine opened the door and Breda slurred out, "Holy crap, the colonel's in drag!"

In a sarcastic way that must have been an inherited trait to the Mustang family, Raine said, "Please tell me I'm at least a little better looking than my baby brother."

Looking across the table at Roy, who was rubbing his temples and groaning, Ed snickered. "Is she always like this?"

"Always."

"Roy, you've got a huge suit of armor and a bunch of drunk officers at your door," she called out. "Do I let them in or not?"

"Let them in, but if they throw up in my house, you can personally pitch them out."

Raine made her way back in the kitchen, followed by Al and the staggering men. Of the bunch, the only one who

looked only mildly buzzed was Fuery. As though she was just noticing, Raine grabbed hold of the lit cigarette in Havoc's mouth. "That's a filthy and unhealthy habit, you know."

"Ssso what're you? A doctor?" Havoc slurred.

"Yes. I am." She threw the nicotine stick into the sink, then placed a hand on Havoc's chest, much to his dismay. "Yep, you've been smoking so long, I'm guessing since your early teenage years, that you're already showing early signs of three different lung conditions."

"Is she really your sister, Colonel?" Al asked.

"Yes. Meet Raine. Raine, meet my inebriated subordinates, Ed's brother Al, and Marta." He looked to Al. "Is Marta in there?"

"Yes," Al answered. "She passed out. She tried to drink Sergeant Fuery under the table."

"Not passed out!" She yelled. "I didn't know the bastard could drink so much."

"We tried to warn you," Falman said, repeatedly blinking and squinting his eyes. "He only looks like a lightweight."

"Two people in one suit of armor?" Raine asked.

"Al _is_ the suit of armor," Roy explained. "His soul is bound to it."

Raine mumbled, "No arm, no leg, no body. No wonder Baby's strong enough to manage the transferal transmutation."

"Al, let me out," Marta ordered. "If big sis there knows I'm here. Might as well get out before I get sick."

Marta wiggled herself out of Al, Ed watching for Raine's reaction. She merely raised an eyebrow.

"A chimera and an empty suit of armor," she mused. "Pyro, you certainly keep some interesting company nowadays."

"Now, does someone want to explain how exactly you managed to get Marta into the bar without taking my underage brother in with her?" Ed asked, only trying to sound perturbed. As long as it wasn't a strip club, it really wasn't anything Al hadn't seen before, but he did love the guys' frightened reaction whenever he raised his voice. Even Fuery, who was obviously coherent, was bumbling over his words.

0o0o0o0

Roy had told Ed to go to their bed by himself so that he could talk to his sister. Without comment, Ed did, giving Roy a quick peck on the cheek before waddling his way up the steps, refusing to accept his younger brother's offer to carry him.

Sitting on the sofa, the seat that thanks to Ed had become his new favorite in the study, Roy watched as his sister sat down beside him. It had been over five years since they'd seen one another, and over a year since they'd spoken.

"Do you love the little guy?" she asked.

"Yes." Roy said, trying not to look too dreamy or goofy when he said it, afraid of teasing from his older sibling.

"Good. I like him." She stretched out a long, soft hand and brushed aside Roy's bangs, just like she'd always done when he was little.

"Why did you come here? Really." He pulled away from her touch just a bit.

"Well, honestly, if I'd heard you were a father first, I'd have come anyway. I was in Xing when I'd heard about Maes's death. I knew I couldn't get to Central because of the rebellion, which was probably nearing its end by the time word of his death reached me." She shook her head. "I had probably spoke to him a week before he died."

"You two talked?"

"Well, you certainly wouldn't."

"But, I wouldn't have thought…"

"He forgave me a long time ago for leaving him at the dance." She elbowed Roy. "Besides, you wouldn't have gotten your first kiss if I hadn't left with the jock."

"How did you--"

"Maes told me about ten years ago, Pyro." She ruffled his hair. Roy hated how easily she made him feel like a kid. He was thirty years old and sitting next to his sister, he felt twelve. "Believe it or not, we've been on speaking terms even longer than that."

"He had a huge crush on you, you know."

"I know." She wrapped her arm around Roy. "I came back as soon as I could leave Xing after I'd heard about Riza. I'd have been here sooner, but your damned fuhrer changed the passports, and I wasn't allowed back into the country until I'd received clearance saying I wasn't a terrorist. By the time I got here, I heard you were about to be the father of twins."

Roy looked down at his feet. "Then you heard about what I did during the rebellion."

She rubbed his shoulder. "Yes, Roy, I heard."

"And you don't hate me for it?"

She kissed his temple. "Of course not. You're my kid brother. Besides, your girlfriend had just died. The fact that you held onto your sanity never fails to amaze me." Roy's eyes stung, he wanted to cry, but not in front of his sister.

"I killed people that day."

"I'm sure you did." Roy looked at Raine, brows meeting in confusion. His older sister abhorred the military and couldn't stand killing for any reason. "Roy, ten years has passed since we were really able to talk, and I don't mean a call to see how one or the other is doing. I mean talk. Back then, I was an idealist who was pissed you went and became a military dog, a decision I still don't understand."

"I didn't want you having to take care of me after mom and dad… If I was in the academy, I wasn't your responsibility anymore."

"You're a colonel in the military and thirty years old, Pyro. You're still my responsibility. Deal with it." Raine put her head on his shoulder. "And as far as what you did in Ishbal goes, I don't hate you for that, either. Yes, I did the math and realized that the time we started to become so distant coincided with that war. I've lived through enough now to know that my kind of idealism simply isn't realistic, so if you need to talk about anything, really talk, I'm not leaving until I at least get to meet my niece and nephew."

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Roy not wanting to explain that part of what had shaken him so badly during Ishbal was that he had killed two doctors who were only doing what she very likely would have in their position. Still, with a sister with a little more wisdom and understanding than the one he'd remembered from his teen years, the explanation might come a little easier.

"Now," she said, lifting her head and turning her body to him, "what are we going to do for Baby's birthday?"

"You want to get him a good gift, stop calling him Baby," Roy said, knowing full well that once Raine decided on a name, she didn't stop using it until she found one she liked better.

"Do you have a gift for him?"

"Yes. I've had it for a few weeks now."

"I think a party might be in order. The poor kid's been cooped up, the least you could do is throw him one."

0o0o0o0

"I don't want to go to the party," Ed said from the master bedroom. "I'm fat."

"You're pregnant, Baby," Raine said, standing outside, trying not to sound too irritated with the young alchemist. "Besides, I have chocolate galore down there. And there are presents."

"I'm sure there are. They probably all brought presents for the baby. They'll treat this like some baby shower."

"Roy gave them strict orders not to. Any presents that are baby-related are to be second to a real gift for you. Now, are you coming out of that bedroom, or am I going to have to drag you out?"

"You wouldn't."

"Want to bet, Baby?"

The door creaked open, as Ed stepped out in an oversized gray sweater and black maternity pants. He had refused to wear a shirt that was labeled as such, but had very little choice when it came to the bottoms, and conceded when Raine had discovered several colors in a style that from the thighs down looked like any other men's dress pants.

"Are you going to ever stop calling me that?" he asked.

"No." She patted his cheek, amazed that this kid, so near adulthood, but still looking every bit the boy was as strong as he was. Not to mention volatile. She'd mentioned one time how short he was and he'd flown off the handle in a way that told her this wasn't just the hormones. Her little brother was going to have his hands full with this one, but when she looked at those coal black eyes that had seemed to hollow the last time she'd seen them, she actually saw life behind them. If it meant a lifetime of petty arguments, Raine really didn't think Roy would mind, and she knew she wouldn't as long as the little spitfire kept her brother looking alive.

She helped Ed down the stairs, making sure he had the railing at one side and her arm at the other. It was slow going, but they made it into the study where nearly a dozen people, friends of the two state alchemists waited. The one, semi-bald one, with his ridiculous single curl and mustache was smiling, literally sparkling as he saw the teen. Of the group, he'd been the only one still in the dark of the true reason for Ed's sudden "illness."

There was a knock at the door, which Roy answered.

"I come bearing cake," the smoker said. He walked in with what looked like a homemade chocolate cake on a silver tray. "Gracia said she and Elysia will be over after Elysia's party. Right now, we'll just have to be satisfied with the cake they made."

"She shouldn't have done that," Ed said, letting go of Raine's arm in order to brace his back as he walked over to the blond man.

"Well, you know Gracia. It didn't matter that she had twenty five-year-olds coming over her house who expected a cake in the shape of a unicorn. She was baking your birthday cake, Ed."

Ed stuck his finger in the icing rosettes at the base of the cake, but just before he could get the finger in his mouth, Roy had grabbed his left hand and licked the chocolate icing off.

"No fair," he said, playfully backhanding Raine's younger brother on the stomach. "It's my birthday cake."

Roy stuck his finger into a second decorative piece of icing and stuck it in the young blond's mouth.

"I'm taking this into the kitchen before I have to witness any more of this," the smoker said, disappearing from the hall. Roy watched him leave out of the corner of his eye, then leaned down and kissed the small blond. Raine stayed out of sight, watching her little brother and his boyfriend. She supposed for her this was less awkward, since she didn't already have a preconceived notion of Ed and had known for over fifteen years her brother's romantic interests weren't exactly specific.

"Ed, I'd like to give you my present now, if I can." Watching her brother drop to one knee in front of the teen, Raine's own heart began beating faster with excitement. She looked at the blond, who stood, hands pressing into the small of his back, eyes welling with tears. They both knew what was coming, and both were shocked as hell that it was coming from Roy Mustang.

Roy reached into his pocket and pulled out a jewelry box, opening it for the teen. From her distance, Raine couldn't exactly make out what was inside, though she could guess. "Ed, I know we can't do anything while you are still technically my subordinate, but the moment that none of that matters any more, the moment I can officially call you mine, I want to be able to."

"There's two rings in here," Ed said. Raine rolled her eyes. That was the kid's answer?

"Yes, Fullmetal," Roy said, shaking his head. "An adjustable one for you, since you're still a growing boy and your hand keeps swelling, and one for me, so you don't complain about being the girl in this relationship." Ed was staring at Raine's brother, occasionally darting his eyes to the open jewelry box. "Ed, you want to answer? Like you keep telling me, I'm an old man, and if you keep me like this much longer, I might not be able to get back up."

"You really want to marry me one day?"

"No, I won these in a box of candy, and I thought they'd make a nice gift." Roy groaned. "Yes, damn it. I want to marry you. I'd marry you today if it wouldn't get both of us court-martialed." Ed began to sob. "Great. I made you cry."

"Yes," came the answer quietly, barely audible.

"What?"

"Yes, Colonel Bastard," Ed said, considerably louder. Roy stood, hugging and kissing the blond until Raine was certain neither of them would be able to stand once they were through. Then, her brother placed the ring on Ed's flesh middle finger, while Ed placed it's partner on Roy's corresponding finger. Raine knew it was a concession that had to be made to keep people from suspecting the rings' true meaning, but the two lovers knew and that was what mattered.

She gave them time to enjoy the afterglow of the moment before pouncing them with congratulations.

0o0o0o0

Going to the office the next day, Roy honestly didn't care if he never stopped smiling. He was engaged, he was going to be a father, his sister was home and they were talking like they used to before their parents had died when he was fifteen, and Ed was now seventeen, so he felt like slightly less of a pervert that he'd had sex with him again last night.

Images of the teen beneath him, telling him how much he loved him, reminding him to use the right hole since he didn't want the new one to become a "permanent feature," begging for Roy to go faster and harder all went across the Flame Alchemist's mind as he twirled the platinum band on his middle finger.

When he was called into the fuhrer's office later that day, he was still smiling, though part of his mirth faded as he saw Frank Archer standing in front of the fuhrer's desk.

"Colonel Mustang," the fuhrer said, "you seem to be in a rather pleasant mood today. The prospect of new fatherhood perhaps?"

"You have heard, sir?"

"Yes, I have. I hope you plan on making an honest woman of the child's mother."

"My proposal was accepted last night, as a matter of fact, Sir." Roy saw Archer's body stiffen at those words.

"Congratulations, Colonel, though I am afraid I am the bearer of bad news."

"As you are aware," the fuhrer's secretary said, "there has been unrest in Lior since Father Cornello was proven to be a false prophet by Fullmetal. Unfortunately, things have reached such a frenzy, with threats even reaching as far as Central."

Roy was not pleased, but there was still a month left before the babies were born, if things went smoothly, he could go to Lior and be back before he missed even a moment of his babies' lives.

"We have no choice," King Bradley explained, "but to send troops into Lior, troops I would like the two of you to lead. Also, because he is the only one in the military with familiarity to the town, Fullmetal will be pulled off of sick leave, as he should be recovered by now well enough to at least serve as a scout for our troops."

"Of course," Archer said, with a cool smirk, "that means his brother would have to be left behind. The people of Lior might not remember Ed's face, or his now rather sizable body, but they will remember the seven-foot-tall suit of armor."

"He is right," the fuhrer said. "And if the people of Lior do not recognize his brother, Scar, who it seems is also in the city, would. But, because I know the brothers are close, I will allow Al to travel along with the troops. An alchemist as skilled as he is could still prove useful as a sort of reserve troop."

Roy thought he was going to be sick. They were pulling Ed from leave, but there was no way they could hide how pregnant he was and if he was a scout, there was no way Roy could go to protect him, or even have the guarantee of Al's presence. Trying not to hyperventilate at the thought of Ed, who would be thirty-four weeks along by the time they reached Lior, alone on the streets where Scar was running loose, Roy struggled to remain standing.

"Very well, Sir," Roy said.

"You are dismissed, Colonel."

Roy left the office, finding the nearest bathroom to throw up.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33 **

_**Journey's Beginning **_

Ed sat in the study with Winry and Raine, looking over pictures that Winry had brought with her from Risembool, originally to be a gift for Ed's birthday, but had gotten lost in the shuffle before Elysia's. Discovering them amidst a pile of unused balloons and streamers, Winry had brought them over to give to Ed. For a bit of comparison, Raine had several pictures of herself and Mustang in a photo album she had yet to show the blond.

"He was a shrimp!" Ed said, laughing.

"He was just under five foot in that picture. He had a growth spurt the next year, just enough that he was allowed into the academy when he turned sixteen. I wish he'd have stayed short." She shook her head. "I can't imagine our parents having wanted him in the military."

"He doesn't talk much about his family," Ed said.

"It doesn't surprise me. Hell, it takes a lot just to get him to talk. After Isbal, I think the only person who really got to talk to my brother and not this military hero he'd created was Maes. I know that Pyro stopped being the person who called me every few weeks. Instead it was Major Mustang, or Lieutenant Colonel, then Colonel. It was never my brother."

Ed rubbed Winry's shoulder at the mention of Ishbal.

"You are related to those Rockbells?" Raine asked, having obviously noticed Ed's movement. "The ones my br… well, the doctors?"

"They were my parents." Winry looked at Raine. "Did Colonel Mustang tell you about them?"

"No. A doctor from the military, Tim Marcoh, sought me out when he went AWOL. Apparently, he'd heard my brother speak of me and thought I might be able to help him." Those soft onyx eyes looked at Ed. "How did you think I knew about the transferal transmutation?" She shifted on the armrest of the sofa, glancing out the window at Al and Marta sparring.

Ed followed her gaze, noticing a dark, half-sick looking figure approaching, signaling the two combatants to go inside. "Something's wrong. Roy's home and he looks…" Pissed, sick, hurt, worried. The list could go on. All pleasant expressions and elated joy that had been on the older alchemist's face when he'd left their bed that morning were gone. The back door opened, and Ed could only wait. He wasn't exactly in a position to stand up at this point.

Roy entered the study, Al and Marta in tow. "Ed, tell me what you need to take with you. We have to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Away." Roy glanced down at the photos spread out on the table, picking up one with Ed, Al and their mother. "The military is shipping us out, both of us…" He looked closely at the photo. "The bitch!"

"Excuse me!" Ed said, looking up at his fiance. "That's my mother, asshole."

"Yes, and her homunculus is the furher's secretary."

Ed could feel his heart pounding in his chest. "Are you sure?" He had been able to pretend that it wasn't true, that there was no way that his mother had been turned into one of those monsters.

"I have seen this woman at least once a week in the halls or in his office, which means Shezka was right."

"And that she is the one who killed Hughes…" Ed said. "Or at least was the reason he died."

Roy closed his eyes and bowed his head. "Which is all the more reason we need to get you the hell out of Central. They are going to ship us off, and they want you to act as scout. I tried to get you out of it, but… I just don't see an escape except to run."

Ed rubbed his hands in circular patterns over his belly. "And where do we run to? Where can we honestly go

that's safe from them, Roy? If that really is my creation, then I need to take care of it, I need to destroy it. I deserted that thing, and it must hate me. It will try to find me."

"And how do you suggest you go into battle like that?" Roy gestured to Ed's stomach. "We can't even hide it anymore."

"I can help you," Raine muttered.

"Help what?"

"I can coax the babies to shift positions. It will last for about a week. I usually do it to help mothers who are having trouble breathing because their baby is resting on their diaphragm, but I can move them into positions that hide their appearance." Ed looked over at her, wanting to ask her why she hadn't said something sooner. "It is rarely comfortable for the mother when I do it," she said, "and that is when I am having them move someplace natural for them to rest. I could hurt you."

"Will it hurt the babies?"

"No."

"Then do it." Ed moved his hands and looked up at the dark-haired woman expectantly.

"Brother!" Al said. "You should do as Colonel Mustang says. Run."

"I don't run very fast anymore." Ed's jaw was set in determination as he looked back at his brother and his lover. "And I'm not running from the thing I created. I will destroy it."

Winry rubbed Ed's back. "Don't be stupid, Ed. You have Al and the colonel who will do it for you."

"Winry, do you understand the kinds of things that these homunculi are? They are false humans, with no soul, no feelings, no emotion. They kill when they want, they destroy human life because to them, a human's life is worthless. I unleashed one of those things onto the world. It's my responsibility to take it out. And if I run and they catch Al, what will they do to him? Or you? I have too many people I care about they could hurt to hurt me. Because, Winry, if my homunculus is the fuhrer's secretary, and there is another male homunculus in the military, who do you think it is?" The realization of that fact struck the rest in the room. "And if it isn't, tell me, what kind of power do you think she… it has?"

He looked up at Roy, daring him to argue with him. "We had a really nice vacation from reality, Roy, but it is a simple fact that our country is in trouble. It ordered troops to massacre a people whose ways are those of peace, not violence. It has at least one homunculus in a high rank, and we knew there is a second within the military, even if we do not know his position. The vacation is over, whether these babies are here or not, and we can't pretend we can have a normal life until we have stopped the homunculi and this Dante who _that bastard_ thinks is leading them."

Ed turned to Raine. "You said you can move the babies so that I can hide them. Please do it." Ed lifted his shirt, revealing the stretched, enormous belly.

Raine rubbed her hands together, more in an effort to get them warm before placing them on Ed than having anything to do with the transmutation. "This could be painful."

"Raine, I've had automail installed, ripped off me, reinstalled. I've had a butcher knife put to my shoulder, a wrench to my head," Ed looked over at Winry. "fire shot at me," His eyes went to Roy. "And to top it off, I have to deliver these babies naturally. I can handle pain."

The older Mustang placed her hands on Ed's cheeks. "It always amazes me how you military men can put up that veil of disaffection so quickly." She lowered her hands to Ed's stomach. "Okay, Baby, I'm going to start. I'm not in the business of causing pain, so I am sorry." She looked around her. "Roy, you might want to hold his hand. I'd recommend the human one." Winry stood and moved away so that the colonel could take her seat. "Al, why don't you take the other hand?"

"Okay," Al said as he tromped over. Ed looked to Raine. She wanted his brother and fiancé to hold his hands? It was really going to hurt that much?

The transmutation circles on Raine's hands began to glow, and suddenly, it felt as though the two babies inside were crawling away from the center of Ed's stomach, being shifted to the outside. At first, the feeling was just that of a pressure, but increasingly it grew worse until he was crying out, squeezing onto the hands at either side. He felt a gloved hand slip behind his back, while the other continued to hold his own tightly.

The pain stopped, leaving behind a terrible ache. Raine rubbed the belly. "That is the best I can do, and the babies are still okay." She pulled up his pants and pulled the shirt down, while Roy kissed his forehead. Ed took a look down at his stomach. It was still enormous, but had taken on a less rounded shape. He could hide it like this.

"What do we do when they go back to their original position or if he starts to deliver?" Roy asked.

"I will be there," Raine answered. Ed, in his pained state, half noticed the colonel starting to protest. "How do you think I got back into the country? The people of Xing are quite talented at the art of forgery, particularly that of military certificates and identification."

"But…" Ed struggled to say, "the risk…"

"You gained a big sister, Baby, and you aren't shaking me. I saw what happened when I tried to let my own brother handle things on his own." She patted Roy's arm. "Neither of you are getting rid of me."

0o0o0o0

Later that night, Ed still seemed to be in pain, though he was putting up a brave front. Roy noticed the teen was having to use the bathroom even more frequently than before, and when he tried to eat, complained of heartburn worse than he had at any other point in the pregnancy. Still, there was no convincing him to allow Raine to shift the babies back.

Ed was now resting on the colonel's chest, as they sat reclined on the sofa, as more and more military personnel continued to come to Roy's house. As each had heard they were to be deployed, they also were informed that Fullmetal would be serving as scout. By the time even Maria Ross and Denny Broch had come into the colonel's house, it seemed that every person in the military close to the colonel and his lover were within those walls.

With their friends surrounding them, it seemed pointless to continue hiding anything they knew from Ed's pregnancy to those who hadn't heard, or the truth of the homunculi and the philosopher's stone for that matter. Roy could see how hard it was for his fiancé to trust those closest to him with all of this information. They pulled chairs from the library, kitchen and dining room to the study, Armstrong and Al, because of their enormous sizes deciding it was better to stand.

"So what do we do," Havoc asked. "We know this, so what do we do with what we know?"

"We stop them," Shezka replied as though Havoc's question had been the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. "We fight them."

"But how?" Breda asked. "How do you stop something that is that hard to kill?"

"You get support, massive support," Ross answered. "And you have it within the military. There are men and women who would fight and die for the colonel but would question the fuhrer. There are veterans who would gladly join the ranks of a military not led by King Bradley. They don't talk about it often, but you hear them talking in hushed whispers, you see it on their faces."

"And to be perfectly honest," Fuery said, "with the fact that he is young, and is in the condition he is in, Ed would be followed by others, people with families, people he's helped. Lieutenant Ross is right. I think, doing so quietly, carefully, we could get the support we'd need to fight back."

"But," Ross said, looking up at Roy, who had his arms wrapped around Ed's shoulders, "we need a leader, one with the kind of rank and authority that will get others to follow."

"Are you asking me to lead a military coup, something that could be treason if we are unsuccessful?" Roy asked, looking around the crowded room. "I suppose if it means a change for me and my children." Ed looked up at him. "And Edward, then I have to do it."

"You will need to go to Lior, garner support there, and Broch, Shezka and I will do what we can here in Central," Ross said.

"Lior?" Ed said, looking back at Roy. "What is wrong in Lior? I got rid of Cornello. The people were finally free."

"Cornello came back," Havoc said. "It started a civil war that's been going on for all that time."

Roy could feel Ed pulling away from him. "I thought I'd helped. You never told me."

"You thought you had been so successful there, and you were still young. I couldn't break it to you. There was nothing you could have done differently."

"I'm getting really tired of finding things out this way, Roy. Any other secrets you'd like to share? Some other skeleton you're hiding in the closet that I might find out accidentally?"

"None that I can think of, but I can't guarantee anything."

"We're going to have a very long chat later," Ed whispered, "you do realize that."

Roy nodded, thinking how strange it was that he was about to be lectured by Fullmetal and not the other way around.

"So, I'm going to be the leader of a rebellion, Ed's going to be, what a mother figure? And we're all willing to risk death than serve a homunculus."

"That all sounds about right, Chief," Havoc said.

0o0o0o0

On the train platform, Havoc was saying goodbye to Gracia Hughes, who was handing him a box of cupcakes she'd baked for some of the troops.

"There are some vanilla ones in there because Ed doesn't like those," Gracia explained. "If you share with him in his condition, he'll take all of the chocolate. This way you can at least get something."

"Thanks."

"Mr. Jean," Elysia said, tugging on his pantleg. Gracia took the box of cakes back as he knelt down to Elysia's level. "Will you be coming back?"

"Of course." He looked into the little girl's eyes, amazed by how much she was starting to resemble Maes. A little hand darted out, handing him a folded piece of paper. "For me?"

"And one for big brother Ed and big brother Al."

Havoc opened up the paper, seeing a drawing of a very pregnant Ed and a tall suit of armor. A sweet picture on Elysia's part, but one that could get Ed into trouble if it was seen. The second picture was of himself and Elysia playing in the park, well, he figured it was a picture of himself, since it had a cigarette sticking out of its mouth. If Gracia saw that one, it could get _him_ in trouble since he'd been told that under no circumstances was he to smoke around the young girl.

"Thank you, Elysia."

"Are big brothers on the train? They said they'd say goodbye to me."

"I think I know where they are. Do you want to see?" The girl nodded. He looked to Gracia. "Sorry to make you hold that for so long." Scooping the girl into his arms, Havoc walked the length of the train to the car with the colonel's private compartment. Inside the train, the blond and the suit of armor spotted them, waving excitedly at the little girl, who returned it with the same enthusiasm.

Returning back to the girl's mother, Jean set Elysia on the platform, taking the box from Gracia. As he did, he leaned to her ear, whispering, "Take care of yourself and get out of Central. For the sake of all of us who care about you and that little girl. Stay safe."

He looked at her intently with his blue and green-mixed eyes, trying to ensure that she understood just how serious this was.

"I will take Black Hayate and Carlida with me." She patted his hand on the box then took Elysia's hand, smiling as though this serious moment had never happened.

Havoc left the two Hughes women and boarded the train, making his way first to Ed's compartment. He saw the colonel exiting.

"Gracia?" Mustang asked as he looked at the box.

"Who else?"

"There chocolate in there?" Havoc nodded. "Good. Ed might need it. He's not too happy. I have to ride with Archer. Topping it off, Lieutenant Colonel Kimblee is on board, though Marta doesn't know, and can't know or she will quite literally try to kill him." The colonel pinched the bridge of his nose. "It is going to be a long train ride."

"Good luck, Colonel. Don't kill him unless you have to."

Mustang made a half-hearted smile, then left down the aisle to the compartment at the end of the car.


	34. Chapter 34

_A/N: Thank you to all of my reviewers. I appreciate the kind reviews, and I'll try to post as much of this as I can before I head off to Otakon._

**Chapter 34 **

_**Archer **_

Roy slid open the door to the compartment he had to share with Archer, finding the blue-eyed man looking over photos and maps. He looked to the seat opposite the other colonel, finding it covered in paperwork.

"We can move all of that later. Right now, we need to come up with some strategies," Archer said, moving a folder on the bench beside him. Roy looked to Archer uncertainly, revulsion wanting to keep him as far away as possible. "You might want to have a seat before the train starts moving and sends you into the wall." A black eyebrow raised, though his eyes didn't leave the maps and photos. "Or into my lap."

Roy folded his arms in defiance.

"I swear I won't bite… unless you ask."

"Archer!"

"A joke, Flame." His face remained unchanged as he shuffled through a stack of photographs. "And since we are now equals in rank, a perfectly acceptable one."

Roy doing his best not to be intimidated by the man in the compartment with him, trying not to slip into those teenage days, sat in the only available seat. "So, what do we know?"

"You have been watching longer than I have, so I shouldn't need to update you on the conflict going on in Lior. But these photos are from our spy balloon and have shown an abnormality we'd never seen."

He couldn't help but think about Ed, his concern for the blond showing on his face. Seventeen for all of three days, and having to take on so much. At seventeen, Roy was…

Roy looked over at the man next to him.

0o0o0o0

"_Happy birthday Roy!" Maes said as he ran up behind the now seventeen-year-old-cadet. "We're going to help you celebrate right." _

"_I believe these will help in your celebration," Frank said, offering insignia and buttons from a third-year jacket. "We'll have to pin them onto yours though, even when we were first years, Maes and I weren't as short as you." _

_The smallest of the three flipped Frank off before accepting the uniform garb. "Can't you even let my birthday go by without a short joke, you tall freak?" _

"_No." Frank smugly folded his arms across his chest. _

_Roy looked down at the items in his hand. "What if I get caught?" _

"_You won't. The bars don't ask questions so long as you're not wearing a first year uniform," Frank said, flipping up Roy's lapel where the pin indicating him as a first year rested. _

"_But I'm not legal to drink yet. Why can't we wait until the right birthday, when I'm eighteen?" _

"_Because by the time you have your birthday, we'll have graduated and be starting in the military," Maes said as they reached Roy's dorm room. Opening the door, Roy saw a card on the floor. He bent down to pick it up, recognizing immediately the handwriting on the envelope. "That from Raine?" _

_Roy looked it over. "Yeah. She's still mad as hell at me, but she sent me a card anyway." Walking inside, Roy was shocked to find Frank pulling at his coat, trying to take it off. "What are you doing?" _

"_You can't sew worth crap, Roy," Frank said. "We know that. I'll add all the insignia for you. You read your sister's card." _

_Roy smacked Frank's hand away. "I have others. Use one that isn't on my body, pervert." He handed back the insignia to Frank and went to sit on his bed. He opened the envelope slowly, sliding the card out of the white paper covering it, then opening it. Behind him, he felt a shifting on the bed, then the sensation of folded arms on his head. _

"_What's it say?" Maes said, leaning his head over Roy's. _

"_Give me a chance to read it, you impatient moron." Maes leaned back, allowing Roy to read over the letter which wasn't overly loving, but distinctly Raine. _

"_Okay, so what does the sexy goddess say?" _

"_First of all, that's gross. She's my sister, damn it. Second of all, she calls me a 'damned idiot' for entering the academy and wishes me a happy birthday all the same, telling me she loves me and hopes I 'get the hell out.'" After a few moments of hearing his best friend go on about his sister's beauty and how sexy she was, Roy doing his best to ignore him, he was suddenly blindsided by his modified uniform coat smacking him in the face. "Get that thing on and let's go out and get you properly drunk."_

0o0o0o0

Archer leaned back in his seat, looking over at Roy. "I never got to congratulate you on your upcoming marriage." Roy's onyx eyes looked over at his fellow colonel, wondering where exactly the man was going with this.

"I wonder where you managed to find such an understanding woman." Frank looked over the papers and reports. "There aren't many who would willingly marry a man who's going to want to take it in the back from another man at some point or another."

"That is out of line!"

"Is it really? I mean, men like you don't usually settle down. No matter which you're with, you're going to wish it was the other. What are you going to do when you want to be bottom? She really can accept that? Or are you going to cheat on her?"

"I will be faithful. Loyalty actually means something to me." Roy's eyes narrowed on the man at his side. "So, tell me, Archer, how long did it take those scratches heal?"

"I should have had that cat captured and tested for rabies. You know, they have to kill them to check its brain to do that. That means death and dissection for the little kitty."

"Her shots are up-to-date, so it would have meant paperwork. Though, you should know that I treated her to tuna that night." Roy sighed, standing up. "We're getting nowhere doing this. We hate one another, fine. But if we can't manage to come up with a descent strategy, we're going to cause countless deaths."

"And heavens knows that would affect any future promotions, wouldn't it, colonel?"

"Archer, this isn't about promotions or egos. We're dealing with people's lives."

"I don't need to hear lectures from you," Archer said. "You will remember that we are equals on this mission."

"I merely talk from experience as someone who's been in these types of conflicts, Archer."

"Well tell me, my self-proclaimed wisened sage, what do you make of this?" Archer handed Roy a photo. "Looks like some kind of alchemy to me, but I'm no expert."

"It isn't traditional Amestris design, but Fullmetal might offer some insight. He's studied other countries' alchemy."

"I would suggest you bring him here, but I doubt he'd be able to fit through the aisles for his current girth."

"No, and I am not sure what kind of use he'll be as a scout. He's still recovering." He gathered a few photos to show Ed.

"That's an unfortunate fact of the military." Frank leaned back in his seat and placed his right ankle on his left knee. "We don't always get to be in top shape when we're fighting. He'll just have to suck it up. Besides, it's not even as though we're asking him to do anything but investigate. Is your little major that weak?"

"He isn't weak," Roy said, feeling every nerve bristling. "He is just sick. It isn't as though he planned it."

"No, but how much healthier would he have been if he hadn't run off to save his brother? It sounds as though this Alphonse is more of a hindrance than a help to the little state alchemist." Roy wanted to say something, but was afraid that anything that might come out of his mouth in defense of his fiancé might cause more problems. He felt Archer grab his arm. "He might be the little prodigy you discovered, but you're not going to get anywhere if you spend the rest of your military career trying to protect him from his, you know. It could hurt you getting a promotion."

"I told you, not everything is about rank."

"No." The blue eyes rolled in Archer's head. "Sometimes, it's about family, right, Roy?" Roy could almost watch as jealousy appeared on the older man's face. He was admittedly shocked. Archer envied Roy's new relationship.

Not wanting to say any more to the man, Roy walked out of the compartment, wondering how he was going to manage spending that much time with the man he despised so much, the man he had a history he was ashamed of to this day.

0o0o0o0

_Roy awoke in his tiny dorm room bed, feeling sticky and gross, but with the pounding in his head, that was the least of his problems. His mouth was dry, feeling like he had a ball of cotton shoved in it. From what he could remember of the taste of alcohol, the nasty, burning stuff certainly didn't seem worth this. Remember. Damn, he didn't remember anything. He just knew he stunk and wanted to find an instant cure for his headache. He grabbed his boxers off of the floor and pulled them on because for some reason, he had decided to sleep naked. _

_He made his way to the tiny kitchenette, trying his best to recall anything from the night before. Thankfully, he had no classes today and didn't have to try to recover while learning about military history. Looking in his fridge for eggs he thought were in there, Roy thought he might try to make a prairie oyster, a drink Maes swore by when it came to alcohol. Unfortunately, with what felt like a spike going through his head, Roy seriously doubted he could remember the other ingredients, aside from the yolk of the egg. Still, he got out the egg, hoping that it would come to him eventually. _

_Smelling himself again, he reeked of cigarettes and alcohol and sweat, and God knows what else. What the hell had he done the night before? He remembered going to the bar with Maes and Frank, Maes doing his damnedest to get the young cadet drunk just by being typical, charming Maes, Frank being far more successful by being flat-out, asshole Frank. Frank could get under the first year's skin faster and deeper than any of his other friends—not that the overachieving cadet had that many. _

_He remembered Maes getting drunk faster than even he had, inexperienced drinker that he was, and talking about Raine, again. He told how she had left him at the prom, then blabbed about the first kiss. _

"_Son of a bitch," Roy muttered, too loud for the liking of his own head. Frank knew he'd kissed Maes. Damn it. Then, after being really embarrassed and trying to hide out in the bathroom, Frank had come to get him, teasing him, as usual. Telling him something about being too short to kiss Maes. Sure as hell too short to have done it right. Roy, the consummate perfectionist and egomaniac, had decided to prove his point. _

_Putting a hand to his lips, he remembered. He'd kissed Frank last night. He'd never hear the end of it. Frank would tell everyone that he'd been able to egg Roy into a kiss, and not just a kiss, but one with full tongue. Frank liked to brag, loved it far too much for Roy's liking. Frank had made some short jokes and sucked Roy into kissing him. Bastard. _

_Roy was about to give up on the prairie oyster and just try to get into the bathroom to get a shower and forget the night before. But he could hear the shower already running, which was no surprise. His suite-mate always spent so much time in the shower that there was rarely any hot water left for Roy in the mornings. _

_He moved back to making the drink, trying to separate the yolk from the whites of the egg over the sink. He remembered something about pepper and hot sauce, not sure if he could actually manage to drink this stuff. As he poured hot sauce, something he kept because of Maes's fondness for the condiment, there was a sudden flash of himself bent over the body of someone else on that tiny twin bed. They were both naked and Roy felt his cock twitch at the memory of being imbedded in tight heat. Was that the explanation of his sticky state that morning? He'd slept with someone? _

_He'd kissed Frank. What if… No, he would never have… Would he? _

_Roy left the half-finished prairie oyster on the porcelain surface of the tiny half-stove, going back to his bedroom. He saw the uniform he'd worn the night before, tossing the pants on the bed, picking up the coat, and realizing as he held the broad-shouldered, long-sleeved thing, that it wasn't his. _

"_You can try it on if you'd like. It would probably make you look like a twelve-year old, but what the hell doesn't." Roy turned to see Frank leaving the bathroom, a towel wrapped around him, riding just low enough that Roy could see the top of the black curls below the man's waist. Limping into the room, Frank winced slightly. "Unfortunately for me, not everything on you is proportionate to your size." Roy stood in silence. "That was a compliment, Roy. I don't offer them often, just say thank you." _

"_Do you… do you remember what we did last night?" _

"_Yes. Do you?" _

"_Sort of." _

"_Damn, thought I might have made an impression." _

"_You don't mind… I mean, what does this mean?" _

"_Mean? Roy it was sex." Frank walked into the room, bending over to pick up a pair of boxer shorts. "And, I'm guessing your first time with another man." _

_Roy couldn't help but let his chest puff out. "Why?" _

"_You didn't quite spend enough time in preparation." Frank dropped the towel, making Roy turn away, his face growing red. _

"_Now that we've…" Roy looked to his feet. "Are we together?" _

"_No." Roy felt a hand on his shoulder. "Roy, I hadn't gotten any for months, I was more than happy to have the release. It doesn't have to be any more than that." The hand moved up and ruffled his hair, a gesture that never failed to anger the younger cadet. "Though I'd like to give it another go. They say sex can be a good hangover cure." Seeing how flustered Roy was, Frank began laughing. "Relax, Roy. I'm kidding, not about the cure myth, about going again today. I'm sore as hell. We'll have to wait at least another day, unless you want to be bottom." _

_Stuttering over his words, Roy couldn't help but feel he was somehow part of an agreement that he wasn't entirely participating in._

0o0o0o0

Roy walked through car after car, finally reaching his own. He saw a box stick up out of the aisle.

"Want one, Colonel?" Fuery asked, holding up the box containing the last three vanilla cupcakes. Half-hungry, Roy took one, noticing Havoc standing talking to one of his fellow smoking buddies, who usually joined him outside of the train car on long train trips.

"I swear to you I don't have any. I smoked my last one a week ago," Havoc said.

"Bullshit. You just don't want to share them."

"I gave them up."

"What?!" Roy said, nearly dropping both the cupcake and surveillance photos.

"You can thank your sister for that," Havoc said. "Three diseases starting because of cigarettes."

"I still say he's got a woman he's trying to impress," Breda said. "Doesn't want to stink like an ashtray when he kisses her."

"It is always an added bonus that a woman doesn't retch when she has to kiss you," Roy said with a smirk.

"Haha, Chief," Havoc said.

Roy opened up the compartment that should have been his, finding Al taking up a bench, Marta inside, Raine was on the other bench with Ed's head resting on her shoulder. Raine was dressed in Riza's old uniform, first lieutenant markings on her shoulder.

"How is he?"

"He," Ed answered, tersely, "is uncomfortable, hot, and miserable. And _he_ would appreciate it if you actually talked to him."

Roy shut the door behind him and knelt beside the blond. "I thought you were still asleep." He placed a kiss on Ed's cheek.

"Enjoying your time with your boyfriend?"

"Ed…"

"Don't Ed me. I don't like the two of you in there together, alone."

"If I was enjoying myself in there, why would I be in here with you?"

"Those photos you've got in your hands would be a good guess." Ed extended his left hand, grasping the air. "Give them here."

Roy handed him the photos, as he moved to Ed's stomach, placing his ear to the rounded hump, which still held its strange shape. He could still hear the twins moving, though it was obvious it was growing limited in the way of room.

"Marta, Al, how are you?" Roy asked as he leaned back.

"I'd be more comfortable if I wasn't inside of Al," Marta replied back.

"It isn't exactly normal having you _inside_ of me."

"These are transmutations for the philosopher's stone," Ed said. "I'm sure of it. Those photos Al sent back from his trip with Armstrong, they looked like this. But they are Ishballan, meaning Scar has to be behind this. You said he was in Lior, didn't you? He's going to use the entire town to make the philosopher's stone." Ed tried to sit up. "All those people."

"Rose," Al said.

Ed rubbed his stomach. "I don't know how much use I'll be, but I'm glad I'm going to be there. I want to help them before it's too late. I wish this train could go faster." Ed looked back at the photos. "What are you going to tell Archer? If you tell him that it's for the philosopher's stone, I don't think he'd care. If he thought the stone would get him a promotion, I think he'd send the troops into the city so he could return the philosopher's stone on a silver platter to the fuhrer."

"I'll think of something." Roy stood, kissing Ed lightly. He moved to his sister and kissed her head, then he rapped on Al's armor, a sign for both Al and Marta. Looking up, he noticed the bell Al had installed. Outside, there was a button that any of the colonel's men could press which would ring it, signaling to Ed that someone was entering who wasn't aware of his condition. He took the photos from Ed. "I've got to go back."

"Do me a favor and ask the bastard how those scratches are healing."

"Already did." Roy started to open the compartment. "Love you."

"Love you too Colonel Bastard."

Roy rolled his eyes, wondering what Ed would call him once the babies were born. Roy didn't mind so much that Colonel Bastard had become a pet name of sorts. What bothered him was the idea of their children repeating it. Still, he would have given everything to have stayed in that cabin with the blond, moody, tired, irritating as he was, Roy had meant his parting words to him.

Knowing he had Ed, loved him and was loved by him was at least enough to get him through this trip, and to plan a strategy certain to keep his lover and their children safe.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35 **

_**Lior**_

Reaching Lior, the two alchemists had little options but to part ways. Al, on orders from both the fuhrer and Colonel Archer was forced to remain behind, though Ed and Mustang had been grateful that Marta and Raine, as non-military members who would not be missed, could go along with Ed as he scouted the town. Somehow, and no one really asked exactly how, Marta had managed to find a motorcycle and sidecar.

As they parted, Ed grabbed hold of Al's hand. "I haven't forgotten the deadline you gave me," he said to his little brother. "You wanted to be able to feel the babies. I'm going to get you your body back so that you can."

"Brother, you're so close… you can't--"

"Can't isn't a word in my vocabulary."

Ed was determined not to show tears, not now, when his brother and fiancé needed him to be strong. He'd faced off against Scar before, he'd been to Lior, and in his condition, he was probably safer than he might have been just showing up as the Fullmetal Alchemist. Scar had taken a liking to Al, even if not to him, and Ed doubted he could hurt Ed and two unborn babies for Al's sake if not for Ed or the babies'. As for the people of Lior, from what Ed could remember, they wouldn't have dared to hurt a pregnant woman, and as long as that was how he appeared, he felt reasonably safe.

Ed donned the brown wig that draped over half of his face while his brother once again rubbed over his belly. "Don't you two try to make an appearance too soon," Al said to Ed's stomach, before carefully hugging his older brother. Then, he moved to Roy, whose cold façade was breaking down by the second.

Roy offered Ed his hand, but Ed smacked it away, wrapping his arms around the colonel. "If anyone sees, blame it on me being sick or having a crush on you. I don't care. I'm not just shaking your hand, damn it."

Though they were relatively certain that no one was seeing this tearful goodbye, Ed honestly meant it when he said didn't care. If this really would be the last time he'd see his colonel, damn anyone who tried to stop him from at least hugging the man. Roy patted Ed's back, doing so in a way that the teen knew meant he returned the gesture but to any observer looked awkward and stunned.

"Take care of yourself, Ed." Roy moved his hands to rest over the two babies. "Take care of them, too." With a smile, he added, "If you have to, find something to hide under or behind. Shouldn't be do hard for a shrimp like you."

"Bite me, you dirty old man." Ed ended the embrace and looked to the two women at the motorcycle.

"Ed, I need your watch. Orders." Ed handed Roy the silver time-piece.

"Yeah, I guess if someone spotted that, it would be a dead giveaway."

Ed looked up into the black eyes, then forced himself to look away as Raine and Marta helped him into the sidecar. It had shocked everyone when she'd announced she was going along, but she said that despite her need for revenge, she felt she'd get it one way or another, but wanted to be of some protection to Ed because he needed her more.

Marta started the engine, while Ed tried to make out what Roy was saying to his sister, something about taking care of Ed.

Raine made her way back to the motorcycle, no sooner straddling the roaring machine than Marta took off, leaving a cloud of dust in the moonlit compound.

0o0o0o0

It wasn't a long journey, but long enough to have Ed's body aching all over. When they pulled into the streets of Lior, the people looked at them strangely, and why wouldn't they? After all, it wasn't often three--what appeared to be--women were seen riding a motorcycle into town. Realizing the streets of Lior were not truly designed for the motorcycle, Marta found a place to store it for the night while Raine and Ed made their way to an all-too-familiar café.

"Hello ladies," the mustachioed man behind the counter said. "Those barstools can't be too comfortable on you, miss, in your condition. Let me see if we can find something back here at least to prop your feet on." The man returned with a crate, handing it to Raine who set it underneath of Ed's feet. "So how far along are you?"

"Thirty-four weeks," Ed answered, in a whisper-like voice. "With twins." He rubbed his belly with his gloved hands.

"What are you doing traveling in your condition?"

"I didn't have much choice. I live not far from here and my home was destroyed by a fire, so I need to find a place to stay." His house had been destroyed by a fire, so he didn't entirely feel like he was lying, though the lie felt more about that being home instead of his place with the colonel in Central.

"Don't you worry about that," the man said as Marta approached behind Ed. "We'll find you somewhere. We're not going to have you staying in a barn. You ladies with her?"

"I'm her sister-in-law," Raine answered, with a rub of Ed's shoulder.

"Sister," Marta replied, taking a seat beside him.

"Good to know she's got family here." Ed couldn't help but notice as a hush went over the crowd. There was a group of robed people walking through the streets, behind them, a figure holding a tiny child. "The Holy Mother," the café owner explained.

Ed's yellow eyes looked up at the woman. "Rose."

As though she heard him, the woman looked down at Ed, a baby, a few months old, in her arms. Ed, daring to risk it, pushed the brown wig out of his face, hoping she might recognize him. Though someone behind her tried to urge her onward, Ed took the risk of standing from his seat and pulling just a bit of his blond hair from beneath the wig, only to tuck it back in before anyone else could see it. Rose said nothing, but seemed to realize who he was.

"Rose," a man behind her said. "We need to keep moving." Rose ignored him and outstretched her hand to Ed. "Rose." The man who had been nudging Rose alonge stepped from behind her and looked Ed straight in the eye. "What are you doing here?"

Though Raine and Marta had no experience with this man, they saw the scar on his forehead, stepping to either side of Ed, daring Scar to do anything to the pregnant teen. Ed did his best to ignore Scar. He didn't understand why she had this role, but Rose seemed to be important in all of this, so he kept his attention focused on her. Besides, Marta would have strangled Scar and Raine dismembered him before he actually got to attempt anything on disguised blond.

Rose looked at Ed questioningly. Why didn't she speak? He was standing in front of her, appearing to be disguised as a pregnant woman, and she could say nothing?

Her hand clasped his right, as though verifying that beneath the glove there was a metal hand. She looked down at his stomach, as though wondering what was in it, what he had used to simulate pregnancy. Taking her hand, he pulled it to his belly, actually hoping that the two rambunctious babies would move for her to feel. When they did, he heard her gasp and start to withdraw her hand. Her eyes stared at his stomach, then moved to his face. He nodded his head. Yes, Rose, that really was a baby you felt.

Ed looked up to the dark-haired baby in her arms, squirming in its position, looking less than comfortable. Rose shifted the child in her arms, allowing Ed to see its face more clearly.

"Rose," Scar said, "we must go."

Rose grabbed hold of Ed's right hand, pulling him with her on their journey through the streets. He turned and signaled the women with him to follow behind. His right hand clasped tightly by Rose's left, he found himself placing his left at the small of his back.

"I must say, Edward Elric that you have this act down pat," Scar said, earning a gasp from the woman beside him, one Ed almost didn't recognize after those years since Youswell.

"Lyra," Ed said. "Why are you in Lior?"

"I wanted to do good with alchemy, after what I did under first lieutenant Yoki. I thought I could be of some real help here."

They walked in silence along the length of a brick building, but once there was a space between the buildings, Scar took the opportunity to pull Edward aside, away from the crowds of people wanting to see the Holy Mother.

"Why are you here?" Scar asked.

"I'm here to find out what the hell is going wrong in this town. Namely, why there is an Ishballan alchemic drawing that surrounds it. You are willing to sacrifice these people to create the stone?" Scar looked at Ed in shock. "Yes, I know that's what that symbol on your arm means. So, tell me, are you willing to go that far?"

"I have no intention of using the people of Lior for my transmutation. I drew that symbol some time ago, waiting for the final pieces of the stone to find it."

"The military!" Ed clapped his hands and held Scar by the neck. "You intend to use the military as ingredients?"

"Ed!" Marta yelled as she slithered her way through a crowd that was still preventing Raine from getting to him.

"Stay back. He will kill you if he gets near you," Ed said to her before feeling Scar trying to transmute Ed's arm. "Keep trying, you bastard." Ed clapped his hands again and backhanded Scar. His human limbs might have been exhausted, but it was nice to get to flex the ones that weren't.

"Why can't I disintegrate your arm?"

Ed clapped his hands again. "Did you know there are numerous combinations I can transform it into, many metals? You need to know the composition to disintegrate it." Unfortunately, Ed didn't move fast enough and Scar grabbed his left arm.

"I know the composition of human flesh," Scar said, triumphantly, though there was a look in his eyes that Ed

only half-caught that seemed to say he wouldn't do it.

"No!" Ed shouted, hearing an echo of it coming from behind from two female voices. But before either of the women could do anything, a force from Ed sent Scar hurtling backwards against the brick wall, tearing Ed's shirt as he did, revealing half of the stomach, much to the confusion of the older, marked man.

Ed looked down at his left hand in wonder. That certainly was something he'd never been able to do before. Marta immediately restrained Scar with her body, careful to keep clear of the tattooed arm while Raine came and inspected Ed.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, still staring at his hand. "That's never happened before. It was like something was trying to protect me."

"You…" Scar sputtered out. "How are you…"

"Alchemy."

Scar looked over the top of the tinted glasses that covered his red eyes. "It's unnatural."

"Yeah, well tell my body that. It's done everything it can to accommodate them."

"Them?"

"Twins. I have two children in there." With a more serious tone, he added. "And I will kill anyone who tries to hurt them." Scar started to outstretch his hand, the right one, but Ed saw on his face he had no intention of using the hand for anything than satisfying his curiosity. "You can touch, but other hand."

"What about me? Can I touch?" a voice said as long talon-like fingers pierced the weak metal Ed had transmuted his hand into, binding him to the wall behind him. Lust stepped out of the shadow, Gluttony behind her.

"Can I eat him?"

"Don't you dare!" A third woman--Lyra, Ed realized--said.

"Tell me, shrimp, would you like to have a cesarean right now? Because you will if you or anyone else moves" With an evil smirk, she continued. "How did you manage that much power? It was something new, even for you. How did you do that? Was it them? Who was their mother… father…?"

With his hand somewhat free from Marta's grip, Scar reached into the cloak he wore and pulled out a silver locket. "Do you remember this?"

Lust froze, her fingers retracting.

"Lust?" Gluttony said as Lust began to tremble and back away. He wrapped an arm around her and leapt up the building, eating his way through a wall. "I'll get you for hurting my Lust!"

Ed felt Raine's arms and another set of arms supporting him. He looked to his right to find Lyra looking at him intently. "You're carrying twins?"

"A little boy and a little girl," Ed said, too exhausted from his panic and that burst of energy to even care who he was telling.

"A little girl?" she asked.

0o0o0o0

Back at the mobile command base, there was shocked surprise as the fuhrer and his secretary had arrived, and Mustang's anger had not gone unnoticed. Sitting on a chair a bit too big for him, Wrath listened as his so-called "parents" talked.

"I think he knows something, Pride," Sloth said.

"He will be easy enough to eliminate. And if we send in the troops in time for Scar to start the creation of the philosopher's stone, then we solve our little Mustang problem." Pride made his way to the door, the eye patch covering his Ultimate Eye, which Wrath had learned about the last time he'd misbehaved in front of the bastard. Evading the man was pointless. He could anticipate every move, every erratic attempt the young homunculus had made. "I have some business to attend to, concerning your son, all alone in that town."

Pride left, and Wrath knew he had to take his chance. "When he says your son, does he mean Edward?"

"Yes, Wrath," the water creature said, placing a human-like hand on his head. "Edward is in Lior right now with the master. She'll see to it that he is taken care of."

"He isn't hers to take care of! I want the rest of his body. I want to be complete!" Using his alchemy, Wrath did what he could to disappear from the woman who could slip through any crack. He transformed into wall after wall, making his way down to the dungeon, where he knew the fuhrer was headed, remaining a part of the wall as he felt the liquid body of Sloth slither by.

"Lieutenant Colonel Kimblee and Major Shou Tucker, I want you to be aware that we have received reports that a state alchemist has been killed in Lior. Very tragic circumstances," the fuhrer explained. "We are unaware as of yet whether he was ripped apart by chimeras or if he was blown to bits. Perhaps you two would be able to be of some service to determine which?"

"My chimeras are not designed for attacking, only for defense," Tucker hoarsely whispered.

"I'm sure they can be persuaded to do otherwise."

With a smile, Kimblee spoke up. "Well, if the little alchemist isn't dead yet, he will be soon enough."

"Very good." Pride walked out of the lowest portions of the mansion that served as center of commands while Wrath made his way back up the levels, carefully, since he knew that Sloth would still be looking for him. Becoming a part of the outer wall, he watched as a puddle of water moved stealthily across the ground, searching for him. He moved inside, into the room with the colonel, who was considerably less drunk than their first encounter, his men, and Al.

"Peekaboo," Wrath said as he transformed into his human form.

"Wrath," the colonel said, in surprise, while his men looked mortified.

"You should know they're sending Kimblee and some chimeras to do away with your boyfriend and incite a war. Ed's to be a martyr for the state so that they can send you all into the city as components for the philosopher's stone. And right now, Dante is with Ed, probably eyeing him up as an ingredient. Now, I've got to get back." He looked at Al. "Mother is waiting for me. And she has sensed the presence of her real body here. She's avoiding this floor as much as she can. I don't know who has it, but Pride will be after that person to get it back since she can't. He's gotten attached to her, as much as he can."

"And who is Pride?"

"Who do you think?" Wrath said as he jumped into the wall, vanishing from the room. He knew they suspected. It was written on the faces of those men how much they despised Sloth and Pride, which was why they were a liability to the homunculi. The only thing keeping them alive tonight was the certain death they faced tomorrow, and Wrath knew it.

Just before he was out of earshot, out of the wall, he heard Al announce he was going into the city to face Kimblee. He honestly wished the tin can good luck.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36 **

_**Creating a Stone**_

Wandering back to face Pride, Lust and Gluttony looked up at the large building.

"Are you okay?" Gluttony asked. "I will kill that scarred man for hurting my Lust."

"I am fine, Gluttony. I just wish I knew what it was that man had in that locket. A piece of her, I think, the woman I was supposed to be."

That man with his Ultimate Eye knew she was there and arrived shortly, apparently having spotted the two homunculi. "Did you kill Fullmetal so quickly?" Pride said.

"The master stopped me. She ordered me not to hurt him. I want to know why."

"It is not our place to question why."

Lust only half-noticed as the puddle of a woman formed at Pride's side. "Wrath has gone after Fullmetal. He wants his body. We need to find him. Especially if the master has given orders."

"You two, find Wrath," Pride ordered.

"We'll need a way to detain the little brat," Lust looked down at Pride's sword. Forged with alchemy, it was the only thing that could stop a homunculus short of using alchemy, as long as it was jabbed into the center of the ouroboros. (A/N: My explanation for how Lust was held by the sword in the series.)

"Unless you know of another way…"

"It is not as though it is the only one I own," Pride said, "but I think my dagger will do just fine." He pulled a dagger out of his boot, handing it to Lust. No, he didn't trust her enough to actually give her the sword. Only the dagger, forged the same way, but something he could see coming.

Pride and Sloth left Lust and her companion to search for the little brat.

"Did you see the power that Fullmetal now has, Gluttony?"

"He was more powerful than Master, but he's pregnant."

"But I think he could defeat the master, Gluttony. All we need is a bargaining chip to make sure he doesn't betray us?"

"Chip?"

"Someone who has something of his, two somethings." Lust looked down at the dagger.

0o0o0o0

Roy ran after Al. "Al, wait!"

"Brother is in danger, and you have to stay here and stop the troops from going into Lior!"

"I know. Just…" Roy held out his hand. "Just take him his watch." He handed Al the watch. "Take it to him."

Al took the watch from his future brother-in-law, seeing on the colonel's face just how much he wanted to be going with him. "He'll appreciate this," Al said before fleeing from the building, heading toward the town of Lior following the sounds of chimeras as he went.

0o0o0o0

Elsewhere at Central Command, Havoc and the others were spreading the truth through the troops in a viral way, certain the truth would be manipulated, but so long as Pride and Sloth became the villains, the members of Mustang's team didn't much care how.

Havoc and the rest were careful to ensure the rumor wasn't traced back to them, but just as careful to make sure it spread. The troops would not defy the false leaders, but now at least understood what they were, they understood what Isbal was really all about. The troops of Amestris knew everything, learned it all as the troops in Central certainly were thanks to Shezka, Maria Ross, and Denny Brosch.

An underground rebellion was starting, and the would-be rebels now needed a leader, a figure to gather around.

0o0o0o0

In a bunker in Lior, Ed had left a still stunned Scar and Lyra with Marta and Raine while he went to talk with, or rather to, Rose.

"Do you mind if I… Could I hold the baby?" Rose smiled, handing the squirming infant over to the teen, who struggled to hold him with the added weight and his own awkward size. "Were you really this big, too?" He gestured to his stomach, Rose nodded, then signaled that she'd been a bit smaller, naturally, only having one child. "The back pain is a bitch." Rose immediately covered her baby's ears, looking at Ed disapprovingly. "Sorry. But the back pain really is terrible, isn't it?" Again, she nodded.

Ed looked down at the dark-haired child. "Hi there. Your mommy is really trusting to let me hold you. Usually, I'm really awkward about holding a baby, but I'm going to need practice." A chubby little hand grabbed Ed's nose. "I'm going to have two like you on the way." Another hand darted out to Ed's mouth, and Ed mock-bit at the fingers, evoking a pleased laugh from the baby.

Rose put her hand on Ed's shoulder.

"I've gotten down the pregnancy part. It sucks, but I've got this much under control. It's when they're born and I'm faced with two of these that I'm getting scared about." He laughed. "As though my life didn't already have enough to be frightened of." He handed the baby back to Rose and looked at her for a moment, a remorseful expression on her face.

"Scar said you lost your voice because of what the military men did to you." Rose looked away. "I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you by bringing it up. I know you must really hate the military after all of that. It's just that," Ed looked down to his stomach, rubbing his left hand over it. "I can't. These babies have three parents, all in the military. I'm in the military… I know it's easy to forget that, but I am. Their mother was in the military, and their father still is. And Rose, I love him. I really do. He will be a victim in Scar's plans if we can't convince him to stop, and I don't know how I can go on if he's hurt, Rose." He held up his left hand to show her, feeling like he was manipulating her. Sure, he was still hormonal as hell and these things were all true--not that he would normally admit that out loud, but he'd learned from the last time he'd dealt with Rose that to get through to her, it took emotion, that which she could relate to. "Do you see this ring? He actually proposed to me."

Ed began to allow himself to tear up. Damn, it sucked having to do this in front of someone. He preferred being strong, but he was too ridiculous-looking to put of any semblance of strength. So bearing his weakness for the young woman to see would have to work. "Rose, I can't lose him."

"Then send warning to him," Scar said behind him. "It goes against the laws of Ishbal, everything you and this man have and are to one another, but these babies, I cannot allow them to be without their parents, no matter how they are created. Give me a message. I will give it to one of the children to deliver to the…other… father." Ed looked at him doubtfully. "I will do nothing to hurt them."

"Especially since they have not intention of letting you hurt them or me." Scar looked at him strangely, either for

his remark or just the fact that the man was still very baffled. "That blast, I know it came from them, or at least their power. I'm pretty sure I was the one in control when I transformed the air into a hot blast of moisture to force you away from me." Those eyes of the man, despite all of Ed's explanations, did not lose their confusion and once again fell on the large belly. "You can touch it, but you need to put that right hand of yours behind your back."

Ed lifted the maternity top to bare his stomach to this man, believing that Scar was simply not capable of hurting the babies, if not for himself or for them, for Al. As Ed had instructed, Scar tucked the right arm behind his back, then placed the left on the teen. "It's so unnatural."

"I doubt it's a whole hell of a lot more natural when it's a woman." Ed watched as Scar moved his hand away. "Their mother was dying and was a good friend to me from the time I met her five years ago. I tried to save her. Would you have done differently?"

"Of course not."

"And if you knew she was dead, but something in her wasn't, would you have tried to save it if you could?"

Scar didn't answer, but bowed his head in acknowledgement that he likely would have done the same. "You need to get sleep. Both you and Rose," he said, an acknowledgement that despite beliefs and religious dogmas he was trying to accept Ed. "The ladies and I will stand guard. Tell me, why is your younger brother not here?"

"The military forced him to stay behind." Ed made sure to add, "He cannot wait to be an uncle."

Scar nodded and left Ed in the room with Rose, where they each took a place on tiny beds on the opposite walls. It was not a restful sleep that came, but Ed gradually began to doze, only to be reawakened a few hours later by the sound of an explosion at the outskirts of the city. Struggling to get out of the bed, Ed watched as the curtain separating the room from the rest was pushed back, Marta standing outside.

"It's Kimblee. Ed, you've got to get out of here." She outstretched her hands to pull him from the bed. Stepping from the room, he found Scar preparing himself. "Take this," he said, extending the locket. "If it can help you, keep it." Ed took the watch from the outstretched hand, while Scar turned to Lyra and Raine. "Take Edward and Rose and get them to safety."

"Wait a minute," Ed said, grabbing the man's shirt. "I'm not running away."

"You are. You said there's someone waiting for you in the military, and you have a little brother who looks up to you for whatever reasons little brothers always do. I don't know if word will reach them, but if it does and they survive, what happens if you die, which is quite possible? Do you really think you could fight against this Kimblee?"

Ed, for once, found himself without a witty remark or retort to Scar's words. The honest truth was if he tried to go to the town, he would likely get himself and his children killed.

Raine wrapped an arm around Ed's shoulders. "I know you don't want to admit it, but he's right. You can't fight him like this, Baby." She looked up to the other black-haired woman. "Okay, Lyra. Lead the way out."

0o0o0o0

Above, Al tried to scatter the people of Lior, to get them to escape however they could. They had to get out of the town before it was too late. Yelling, doing alchemy, whatever means he had, he used to try to save the people. When he would encounter an chimera, he destroyed it, something that never failed to disturb him on some level.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Al turned to face Lieutenant Colonel Kimblee. "I'm getting the people out of this town while I try to find my brother."

"Your brother is dead."

"No, he isn't. You were sent here to kill him, and you're looking for him too."

"How do you…"

"I have my own sources."

"Well, I wasn't told not to kill you." Kimblee charged at Al, who dodged out of his way. "Come on, Al. I want to see what you're made of. I bet you'd make a great bomb."

"Al!"

Trying not to lose his focus on Kimblee, Al searched for the source of that voice, finding Marta running toward the battle at break-neck speed. Behind her, Ed could see Scar.

"Marta, behind you!" Glancing back the chimera made no reaction of fear of the man, making Al wonder if Scar was fighting on their side for once.

Once Marta and Scar joined the fray, it became easier for Al to draw a transmutation circle, creating stone barriers that knocked the Crimson Alchemist off of his feet.

"All you've done is give me fuel for my alchemy," Kimblee said with a smirk, laying his tattooed hands on the stone barriers."

"I know," Al said, using other elements in the sand and stone to create walls around Kimblee and the stones that he couldn't transmute into bombs. The explosion within the created walls was enormous, knocking down some of the walls, creating a hole, where a shadow was cast amidst the smoke.

Kimblee staggered out, Marta immediately lashing out at him as he transmuted a nearby wall into a bomb that sent her staggering backwards.

"Marta!"

0o0o0o0

Back at the command base, Archer was leading troops into battle, Roy trying to warn the stubborn, glory hog of the dangers of just charging into the city. The man was a bastard, and Roy hated him with every fiber of his being, but he was going to cost other lives if he risked his own.

"Listen to me, Roy, if you come with me on this mission, that's fine, but don't stand in my way. If you want to stay outside with your troops and cower, do it, but you got to be the big hero of Ishbal by killing thousands. It is my chance to get recognition, and you aren't ruining it."

"It won't be recognition you get, you idiot. Scar has something planned. He will kill everyone, including you. What good is being a hero or getting a promotion if it happens post-mortem?" Roy asked, grabbing Archer's coat.

"And here I thought you didn't care," Archer said sarcastically. "Being a family man has made you weak, Roy." Archer returned his focus to the loading of weapons on to various transport vehicles. The armament Archer had planned was even utilizing ambulances and trucks designed for carrying troops.

Whether Roy liked it or not, they were headed to Lior, and thanks to the efforts of his own team, a number of the soldiers looked positively terrified to be going. Their faith had been shaken, and though a number of them looked to him for leadership, many seemed ready to run.

Underneath the city, Ed was moving with the rest of the people of Lior, fleeing Kimblee's onslaught. Ed felt like such a useless coward running away. Not that he was exactly running. He was moving so slowly that he felt certain it was Raine alone that kept him moving forward, her arm around him, occasionally using her hands to make contact with his head, releasing natural hormones to ease his pain. She was condescending--like her brother--and pushy, but damn if it wasn't nice having an instant endorphin releaser for a sister-in-law, or soon to be.

Making the whole experience even more unpleasant, Lyra's perfume was practically enough to make Ed sick. He wasn't quite sure what the smell was, but it set off his sensitive nose every time he got a whiff. So he spent a good portion of their journey through these catacombs struggling to keep the contents of his stomach where they belonged.

Wherever they were beneath the city, Ed realized that he was near the surface, as the ceiling shook and sounds from above could be heard, Scar, Marta and… Al. All screaming at Kimblee.

"Al!" Ed said, turning to run back, to find a place he could break through the ceiling, letting the people of Lior pass by him as he moved back.

"Ed what are you doing?" Raine asked, following behind.

"Al's right above. He's in the city, fighting Kimblee. I can't let anything happen to him."

Amidst the crowd, Ed could hear Lyra calling out for him, trying to get him to stop. Turning a corner, Ed saw a giant wave of water approaching him. Bracing himself for impact, Ed held his arms over his head, only to have the wave suddenly stop at his feet.

"Hello, my son," the water-thing said, as a face appeared, a face Ed had wanted to see for so long and dreaded now. Frozen for a moment, Ed heard Raine yelling for him, making him move, reaching into his pants' pocket for the hair he'd imbedded inside of a tiny piece of glass. "You are not going anywhere."

"Ed!" Raine yelled, making the homunculus the Elric boys had created turn to her.

"Stay out of this!" the homunculus said, distracted just enough that Ed was able to throw the round marble-like glass into her still-liquid body. Watching as the face froze and her body solidified, Ed stood, almost unsure of how to proceed next. He'd prepared for this, readied himself for this moment, but felt at a loss now. She had _her_ face. Her body. He had created this thing. That was it; he had created it and he had to eliminate it, to stop the havoc it had caused, to stop what had been done to Maes Hughes from happening to anyone else. To take responsibility.

"I said I would destroy you. It's my fault you even exist, and I'm going to be the one who finishes you off."

"My son…" the thing muttered, hearing her like this, in pain, looking at him actually lovingly, Ed's hands trembled, even the one that wasn't really flesh and blood. This thing looked like his mother and he was hurting it. He had hurt it.

He didn't even notice as it struggled to move closer to him, fighting against the piece of his mother's real body, fighting the transmutation circle inside of the glass that he'd activated while tossing it in.

"ED!" a new voice shouted, Rose's raspy, no longer silenced voice. "Your babies!"

Ed looked down and saw the thing was grasping the air, her hand nearing his children. He didn't know what this thing was doing, what she was attempting in that form so like his own mother's, but he would be damned if she hurt the babies.

Ed clapped his hands together and laid them on the creature's body. "You're made of water. You should never have let me know that. I know how to destroy you because I know what you are, just like Greed."

"Be a good boy. Take care of your little brother."

Backing away, he watched as the face of his mother vanished into water vapor. Trying to avoid the same feeling of terror he'd felt the first time he'd destroyed a homunculus, Ed turned and ran opposite the direction from where the people of Lior were still running. He clapped his hands to the wall, preparing to breach the surface to help his brother, his concern the only thing keeping him functioning.

0o0o0o0

Al was above, trying to get to Marta, but finding Kimblee standing in his way.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, coughing up blood. His own bomb had done a number on him. And Scar was looking little better, as the man had already absorbed Kimblee's red stone necklace into his arm.

Stepping close enough to Al, Kimblee grabbed Ed's pocket watch, opening it to find a small pile of red stones. "You didn't think I'd play without a loaded deck, did you?" he asked, tossing the stones at Scar, stunning him in pain as his arm absorbed these as well. While the Ishballan was momentarily incapacitated, Kimblee grabbed hold of his left arm, making Scar scream out as his left arm turned black. "In just a few moments, that arm will explode, taking you with it. It will be slow and painful and make what I did to your face seem like nothing. Too bad you don't have a brother nearby to give you another arm."

Al gasped in shock as Scar grabbed the useless arm; even Kimblee's eyes grew wide as the determined man disintegrated his own limb.

The fighting had taken them to a more secluded area of the city, away from Marta, who very well could have been killed in the collapse of a building from one of Kimblee's explosions. Al didn't know. All he was certain of was that this man needed to be stopped. Now.

Al was close enough to the man to kick him directly into the awaiting tattooed arm, which Al did, watching as Scar used the power in that arm to spear directly through the alchemist, who as he laid there dying began to laugh, lungs filling with blood.

"You didn't even notice when I grabbed your brother's watch. Your body is turning into a bomb, and when the transformation's complete…" The laughter and the voice stopped suddenly replaced by choking, then nothing, as Al realized that there absolutely was something wrong with his body.

"Scar! Help me!"

0o0o0o0

Ed couldn't find where the fight was taking place on the surface. He could see the destruction, the damage, but couldn't find any sign of his brother or any of the others involved in it. But he heard shouts, voices not far away. The noise of an approaching army. Maybe Al was with them. It was all that the teen could hope for, that running to the military would help him locate his brother.

Looking into the sea of blue uniforms, Ed spotted the two colonels at the front, one determined, one reluctant. "Ed!" Roy shouted out, while Archer made eye contact with the teen, scowling. Ed didn't even care that with his torn shirt, it was blatantly obvious that he was not merely disguised as being pregnant. Archer's eyes darted over at Roy, then back at Ed, confusion and anger present even at Ed's distance.

Then it happened. The sky grew red, and even with Raine pulling him onward, the teen struggled to move fast enough, to get to the troops and out of the city before the inevitable happened. Seeing what must have looked like an explosion, Archer ordered troops within the town, though Ed and Raine shouted for them to turn around and flee. Roy told his troops to clear from the area, while he ran into the heart of the city to reach Ed.

Feeling Roy's strong hands at his shoulders, both Mustangs ran, practically dragging the teen's heavy body from Lior, as the red light began to overtake them, the force driving all three to the ground before the red light engulfed them whole.

0o0o0o0

Though he felt he may have just watched two of his best friends being killed, Havoc managed to turn to the troops, shouting to them to retreat, some driving away in the few vehicles and ambulances that had been brought to the scene, to escape the blast while they could. Archer, only a few feet away was ordering terrified troops into the blast, until he was silenced as half of his body was eventually caught within the red glow.

Taking his own orders, wishing he could go in and save the three alchemists he'd just watch being swallowed by the red light, Havoc ran away, then freezing in place as the blast began to fade, appearing to have destroyed everything in its wake.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37 **

_**Aftershock**_

The dust and debris began to settle as screams from unfortunate victims of the red light rose up. Havoc began shouting out orders, telling the troops to begin treating the soldiers caught in the light and others to begin searching the city.

"Lieutenant Havoc," Fuery yelled after the cloud had cleared. "Look!"

In the midst of the sand was a thick glass dome, glowing from within with a brilliant blue light. Havoc leapt from his place on top of a tank, finding he was running toward the rounded glass behind Major Armstrong.

Together, the two blonds managed to find the edge of the glass and began to lift, Havoc realizing that much of the work was being done by the state alchemist rather than himself. He also felt as though someone inside was helping, as two shadows became more distinct as the blue light began to fade.

The blonds finally had the dome lifted and found the two Mustangs guiding the glass away. At the two brunettes' feet, Ed lay, looking completely exhausted and shaken. He struggled to just pull himself upright. The rounded covering gone, the colonel immediately knelt beside Ed, who had begun to cry uncontrollably.

Havoc had seen it before, though never from the boss. Exhaustion and the horrific reality of battle could make even the strongest of men break, even without a pregnancy and added hormones making matters worse. But there was also Al. Al had been in the town, and that realization made the lieutenant want to join Ed in his tears for a moment.

The colonel's sister knelt opposite him and placed her hand over Ed.

"Everything's fine. Let's move him."

Mustang scooped the teen's practically limp body into his arms, cradling Ed as carefully as he could, despite the obvious fact that Ed's weight was a bit much for the man.

"Colonel, if you would allow me…" Armstrong began, but the look on Mustang's face made it obvious no one else would be allowed to touch Ed.

"Chief?" Havoc asked, walking beside Mustang.

"Tend to the wounded, find out the casualty count, and see if we can find any signs of Al, Marta, or Scar as well as our troops," the colonel said in an official tone. Havoc nodded and left the colonel and major behind.

0o0o0o0

Roy hated seeing Ed like this, sobbing into his uniform. At this point, the colonel didn't even care that he was giving several confused soldiers a show. Ed's torn shirt left nothing of the teen's condition to the imagination, so there was no denying it any longer.

Raine was already ahead of him, aiding the victims of the blast that should have, by all rights, destroyed Roy and his entire family. Armstrong was busy extracting soldiers from beneath debris and military equipment. Havoc was giving orders to and having them obeyed by men below and above him in rank.

Roy merely made his way to a soldier transport vehicle, which would have benches in the rear where Ed could lay as comfortably as possible. Roy only wished he'd been able to just climb inside and place Ed on one of those benches, but the fact was that with all of the working out he'd done, he still couldn't.

Gingerly as he could, Roy placed Ed on the back bumper, which faced the town.

"You should go to the soldiers," Ed said, wiping his eyes. "They need you."

"You need me." Roy cupped his fiancé's face in his gloved hands, thumbs wiping away dirt and tears.

"I need to find Al," Ed said, eyes welling up and spilling over again. "Or at least know for sure that he's--" Ed choked back tears, only to bury his head on Roy's coat. "I wanted to tell him he didn't have to worry about her anymore, I killed her."

"Killed who?"

"The fuehrer's secretary. Our homunculus. The monster we'd made. I wanted him to know he didn't have to worry about her."

"Ed, the soldiers are checking what's left of the city. You can still have the chance to let him know…" Roy wrapped his arms around Ed's shoulders. "After all, we survived."

"Because of me… and them. It's the second time it's happened, like they lend me a little of their natural abilities. I wasn't with Al like I should have been. If I had been, he'd have been safe, and you wouldn't have been inside the blast."

Then, suddenly, Ed's moment of sorrow faded as he seemed to realize the consequences of his actions.

"Roy," Ed said, pulling away, "we're going to have to run before the fuhrer arrives, all of us who've been involved in this. But right now, nothing you're doing here is going to bring Al back, and you need to check on your soldiers."

Roy looked down at Ed, seeing so many things flash across his face, behind those amber eyes. He kissed Ed quickly, then left him resting at the truck while he made his rounds. He gave orders, answered questions, and helped check the status of the wounded--he knew well enough how to do that with a sister who was a doctor.

Most of the troops affected by the blast were completely lost. Roy realized that was a fact, just as he was acknowledging that the same fate could well have befallen Scar, Marta and even Al, but if a search for the younger brother was necessary to ease Ed's pain and give him a sense of closure, the teen would get it.

As he walked by mangled bodies, those who'd only been partially caught in the blast, Roy saw his sister kneeling over the form of a screaming man.

"I will try to make you hurt a little less and slow the loss of blood," Raine said to the twisted and bloody man below her. Roy knew she didn't expect this man to survive. It was obvious when Roy looked at him, half of his body gone. As she began beneath the blood, the man' eye--the only one remaining--shot open, piercing blue looking up at Roy.

"Frank--" Roy said, calling the other colonel by his name for the first time in years. How was he surviving this? Part of his skull, left arm and leg, gone.

Roy knelt down as Archer struggled to speak, only managing to point to the vehicle where Ed sat, watching and waiting for some sign of his brother. Looking back down at Archer, Roy only nodded, grabbing hold of the bloody right hand. In his mind, this time, seeing only the man he'd known while at the Academy.

Raine stood, looking as though what she had done had not made the man more lucid and aware of his own state, but still moved on to the next casualty, signaling a medic to try to bandage Archer up. Roy started to join her, but found Archer's grip on him unwavering. It was by no means so strong that it actually prevented Roy from breaking free, but he decided to stay until the medic reached his former friend.

"Take care of him," Roy said, breaking Archer's grip. "Do what you can." He stood. "I'm so sorry, Frank."

Roy moved through the soldiers, giving orders, searching for his men and his sister when they caught sight of one of the reconnaissance teams coming from the city. Roy heard as Ed jumped as well as he could from his place on the truck bumper, yelling, "Al!"

From the all-terrain truck in the distance, Roy heard another familiar voice yell back, "Brother?"

The tiny truck reached Ed and in no time, Al was off the back, and running toward the waddling older brother, but no sooner were the two brothers able to make contact, than then rapidly backed away from one another.

Roy signaled to his team that it was time to leave, finding numerous others following suit.

"You all have to stay!" Roy shouted as Breda started up the transport truck.

A major approached him. "If you are going to seek out other troops, we are going to help you." With added meaning, the major said, "We are making the choice to follow you, Colonel." These troops were following him because they knew this was the beginning of a revolution, and they were willing to be a part of it.

In what looked like a convoy, Roy's transport vehicle was in the lead, headed toward Ed and Al.

Hopping off of the back of the vehicle, Roy placed a hand on Ed's shoulder, then moved to touch Al, a gesture to show he was glad the younger Elric was okay, only to have Ed forcefully grab it back.

"No! Roy!" In a lower voice, he continued. "He survived the creation of the philosopher's stone because he _is_ the philosopher's stone. No alchemist should touch him, or it could activate the stone."

"If the stone is used," Roy said. "What happens?"

"I could die," Al answered.

0o0o0o0

Ed knocked on the cab of the truck, receiving one in return, a reply from his brother that he was okay. In return, Breda pounded on the back wall a few dozen times, a sign that he, too wanted some attention.

Ed wiggled a bit on Roy's lap, knowing it was the only cushioning he could be offered, but much as Ed tried not to complain, he honestly was growing uncomfortable.

That wasn't helped much when Breda slammed on the brakes. Ed found his back ramming against the cabin, Roy's arm smashed beneath his neck, and his head making a thud against the metal.

"Son of a bitch!" Ed yelled.

Breda began pounding on the cab wall again and as Ed was about to ask what kind of a wise idea this all was, a woman's dark head appeared at the back of the vehicle.

"Edward Elric," she said, "we have a proposition for you."

"Lust." Ed's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean we?"

Roy held a hand up, prepared to attack, Armstrong donned his gloves, and the military men pulled out their guns. "All that arsenal for little old me?" Lust asked. "Or maybe it's for my friend. If you lift up that canvas, I think you will find him."

Lifting the green canvas cover, Ed saw Gluttony outside, smiling, holding a burlap bag over his shoulder.

"We have some things that belong to you," Lust said as Gluttony shook the bag. "We'll give them back, but we want to make a deal. You will let us join you, but you will not do anything to harm us. If you agree to that, we give you back what you have been missing."

"Why should I trust you?" Ed asked.

"Because we've already taken a risk by going this far," Lust said. "As far as our master is concerned, we've betrayed her. You're now our only hope at getting a philosopher's stone."

"And I'll eat this is you don't agree," Gluttony said, dumping the contents of the bag on the ground.

"Wrath!" Ed said, trying to stand from his place on Roy's lap.

"Do you know what this boy has?" Lust asked.

"Bring him here," Ed said.

Gluttony slung the boy's lifeless body over his shoulder and hopped through the canvas, landing in the space between the seated soldiers. The large arms plunked Wrath onto the floor, while Ed stood and looked at him.

"That arm and that leg, do you recognize them?" Lust asked seeming to still wait for a reaction from the blond alchemist.

"They're mine," Ed said. "I already knew." Ed looked down at the knife jammed in Wrath's foot. Slowly moving down to the floor beside the boy, he touched the blade, sensing the alchemic power in it. Seeing that it was running through the oroborous, Ed took the risk and pulled it out, Wrath's eyes shooting open almost instantly.

"Ed?" Wrath asked, then seeing Gluttony, scurried behind Ed's back.

"You two already know one another?" Lust asked. "You betrayed Dante?"

"You say that like I was ever loyal to her. I was smart enough to join up with him from the start instead of obeying that bitch's orders. And I'm just a kid," Wrath taunted.

"You want to join us?" Ed asked while Lust seemed speechless. "Then I think we'll be keeping a hold of this," Ed said, holding the blade in his right hand. Combined with this," Ed pulled down his shirt, revealing the locket he'd received from Scar, "I think we can consider them insurance."

"You won't hurt my Lust," Gluttony said malevolently.

"Then don't make me. Unless you want to go up against an alchemist how has enough power to go up against the creation of the philosopher's stone and survive," Ed said, doing his best to let his familiar ego shine through. He'd missed getting to act like a hot shot, after all this time of having to admit that other people actually knew more than he did in some areas and even relying on them for support.

"Gluttony, don't. If he wants to use it as insurance, let him, as long as he helps us."

"And what do you want?" Roy asked.

"I want to be human, and Gluttony wants me to be happy." Lust looked at Ed warily, apparently worried about actually coming any closer because of Ed's possession of the locket. "Do we have a deal?"

"I believe we do," Ed said.

"Good. Now, if you want to remain safe, I recommend you exit the way the townspeople of Lior did because Pride was on his way, and if I heard right that you killed Sloth, he's going to be really pissed."

"You killed Sloth?" Wrath asked.

"Yes," Ed answered, looking behind him to the violet-eyed boy. "I knew I had to, but almost didn't because of how much she looked like my mother, until she reached out for them." He looked down at the round protrusion. "I couldn't let her hurt them."

"She used to protect me from Master."

"You're angry at me, then, for killing her?"

"I only care about myself," Wrath said, defiantly. "What do I care if she's dead?" Ed saw in Wrath's eyes lingering tears, and as he stood to once again sit on Roy's lap, with the help of several soldiers standing him to his feet, Ed patted Wrath's head.

"You don't want your arm and leg back?" Gluttony asked, looking confused.

"They are his for now." Ed knocked on the cab wall, signaling Breda to move onward, while Lust positioned herself on the back bumper, staying as far away from the weakening locket as she could.

Wrath remained standing for the rest of the drive to the underground catacombs, but stayed very close to Ed the whole time, even curiously examining the stomach a few times.

As the group began leaving the trucks, entering the catacombs, Raine leaned closer to Ed and her brother.

"Pyro, the first town we visit," Raine said, "I'm going to need to get a hold of a phone. I need to make a few calls."

"What for?" Roy asked, confused.

"Do you think the military is the only one with an organization of alchemists? Those of us who don't want to or couldn't become state alchemists have our own way, you know." She added with a smirk, "I think you will recognize a few of them, Baby."


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38 **

_**Loyalties **_

The journey to the tunnels hadn't taken long, and the vehicles the group had taken proved unnecessary, but from this point, Ed searched the city for any sign of life, any sign that someone had survived. The horrible realization was that no one had, not Kimblee--not that that was any great loss--not Scar, not Marta. Ed had tried to cry. He'd found it so easy so many times before, and though his heart was aching at the number of people he had cared for who had died, it seemed that for once, Ed's tears had dried up. It was probably best, allowing Ed to move on with the present and mourn the past when there was the leisure to do so.

Going underground with the three homunculus and nearly a hundred troops, Ed was embarrassed to find himself having to be alternated between being carried by Armstrong or tugged on a rolling gurney Ed had created himself. The entire time they walked, Ed constantly reminded Roy he needed to move ahead, to command the soldiers, who were expecting him to be the leader of this revolution. It was not as though Ed was left entirely alone. All of Mustang's team took careful care of him, while Raine stayed nearby and Wrath was practically unshakable.

It had taken some explaining to the young homunculus exactly what it was that was growing inside of Ed, and the more Ed described it, the more in awe of the teen Wrath seemed to be and the more the child affirmed his belief that if anyone could restore his body, it would be Ed. Without Sloth, Wrath seemed somewhat lost, though he never grew angry with Ed, and actually had attached himself so closely to the teen that even the state alchemist was beginning to feel brotherly, if not parental toward him.

Some strings pulled on the part of both Mustangs and even Ed, a journey that by all rights should have taken well over a week, was cut to a few days thanks to friends in the railroad and those with other forms of transportation. They now were set up a in a undisclosed camp under the shade of a large forest, not terribly far from Central, Roy was standing, pacing, making strategies, while Lust repeatedly inserted her own opinions and knowledge into the discussion. Ed listened from his seated position across from Al, both brothers interjecting where they could, Wrath at his side, currently placing his head on Ed's stomach to hear the babies move.

"Are you ever going to be less amused by this?"

The two violet eyes looked up at Ed. "No." Wrath sat up, sitting next to Ed, placing his dark head on the blond's shoulder. Supposing the hormones and the inevitability of the birth of his own children was having an effect on him, Ed pulled the boy closer to him with his left arm, letting Wrath rest against his body. He knew the boy needed someone to offer him some sign of comfort after Sloth's death. Little as Wrath wanted to admit it, he had been attached to her, if for no other reason than the protection she had offered him.

The boy needed him, but so did his brother, and it was painful for the teen not to be able to hold him as he was this homunculus, to not even be able to sit beside him and talk for fear of the philosopher's stone. Ed looked up at Al, mouthing the words, "Are you okay?"

The armor nodded.

Ed smiled sympathetically at his brother, trying to show him that though Wrath has gotten so close, Ed hadn't forgotten Al. He couldn't shake the worry or sense of guilt that had plagued him from the time he'd lost his brother's body, and now that Al's soul was in danger, the blond had even greater difficulty escaping it. The dark-haired homunculus who was contentedly resting underneath the blond's arm did little to ease the guilt, as it was a constant reminder of what he had missed with Al.

While everyone talked on strategies, Ed struggled to remain a part of the conversation, struggled just to stay awake.

"Ed," a voice said, bringing to the teen's attention that he had fallen asleep, resting on Wrath's head. Ed felt a gloved hand to his cheek as his eyes gradually opened to see Roy standing over him. "You need to get to sleep. We'll tell you everything in the morning."

"You all are still talking. I--"

"Need sleep, Ed. Poor Wrath has been your pillow for going on ten minutes now." Ed looked down at the homunculus apologetically, though Wrath didn't seem to mind. Roy offered Ed his hands, bending down to kiss the teen once he had managed to stand. "You are not any use to anyone if you're exhausted, Ed."

"Brother," Al said from his distant spot, "please go to sleep. You're tired because the babies are sleepy. Give them some rest."

Ed hung his head, walking to the tent made from the canvas that had covered one of the transport vehicles, kneeling onto the soft forest floor and alchemically transforming the ground into something softer, hardly noticing that he'd had someone follow him.

0o0o0o0

When Roy finally had to retire as well, feeling less than comfortable knowing that Lust and Gluttony were nearby while he prepared to sleep, but he was nearing complete exhaustion meaning he was of no use even if Lust or Gluttony tried anything.

Roy pulled back the flap of his tent, finding, to his surprise, Ed laying on his side, soundly asleep, Wrath laying near him, either in a mimicry of the unconscious state or actually asleep, Roy couldn't decide. The colonel stepped over the still body of the child and that of his lover, removing his uniform coat and laid against Ed's back, finding his own sleep coming quickly, hearing his love's rhythmic breathing.

He only got to sleep a few hours before dawn broke and the flap of his tent was opened, the pink glow of the early morning sun lighting the enclosed area.

"Pyro, you up?"

"Am now," Roy grunted.

"The kid slept in here too?" Raine knelt down beside Wrath. "Hey, little guy, you awake?" The violet eyes fluttered open. The look on his face certainly seemed to say he'd been as sound as the alchemists. The kid groaned, sitting upright, looking around him. "I didn't know you could sleep."

Wrath shrugged. "I just followed Ed's breathing. The next thing I knew, I was seeing pictures in my head."

"They're called dreams," Ed said, grunting as he struggled to push himself up. "It's too uncomfortable sleeping on my right side, but damn it's such a pain pushing up with my left arm." Wrath moved behind Ed and helped him push himself upright before Roy could even make a move. "Thanks, kid."

Roy offered Ed a hand to help the teen stand. "Not that the wake-up call wasn't appreciated, Raine, but why are you here?"

"The other alchemists have arrived. Your army just gained fifty new members, all talented alchemists."

"Al…"

"Jean and Heymans went with him away from the camp. We didn't want to risk him accidentally bumping into one of the alchemists." Raine rubbed Ed's arm. "There are a few of them out there asking for you. You up to seeing them?" Ed nodded. He noticed Raine looking at his stomach strangely. "Ed, will you let me…" She raised her tattooed hands, and he raised his shirt. Placing her hands on him, the tattoos began to glow.

"Raine," Roy said, growing concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"They've moved," she said. "They've descended. Probably have been moving there for a while, and would have been there earlier if I hadn't moved them."

Ed looked down at her movements on his body then up into the older Mustang's eyes. "What does that mean?"

"It means we don't have long to get rid of the fuehrer." Raine pulled Ed's shirt back down. "They're in place for delivery, Ed." Roy could feel his chest gripped at the thought and watched as Ed's own eyes grew wide. "It doesn't mean they're going to do it today or this week. It just means they're ready." Roy looked at the large belly, noticing that it did appear lower. The idea that his children were so near being born frightened the soon-to-be father, but the idea that Ed might have to deliver out here in the forest or go into labor while they fought against Pride and Dante made him sick. It had always been a possibility, but up until now, Roy had been able to pretend it wasn't.

The colonel watched as Ed wrapped his arms around the babies still inside him, while Roy walked over to embrace his fiancé, rubbing his own head against the blond hair.

"When I told you to stop treating him like a vessel, I didn't mean this," a shadowy figure said, illuminated from behind by the rising sun as she opened the tent.

"Teacher!" Ed said, pulling away from Roy. Izumi Curtis stepped inside the tent, Wrath practically growling at her as she did.

Izumi looked to the homunculus, extending her hand to Wrath, only to have it slapped away. "If you wanted to be a real mother, you wouldn't have given me to the gate."

"Wrath," Ed said firmly. "I know you're angry, but can you at least try."

"I'm not attacking her." Wrath's eyes narrowed at Izumi. "That's me trying."

Izumi seemed to be doing all she could to simply walk by the boy she looked like she wanted to hold close to her and ask for forgiveness from. She went to Ed, wrapping her strong arms around him instead, then looking to how large he'd gotten.

"How did you know to come here?" he asked.

"Those of us who didn't want to be part of the military or who couldn't make it made the decision to loosely organize ourselves. Even traveling, I managed to get the message to come here." She looked down at Ed's stomach. "I thought you'd have had the little ones by now."

Ed let out a tired chuckle. "So'd I, but now I hope they can manage to stay put a little longer."

0o0o0o0

As Ed exited the tent, Roy on one side of him, Wrath, his ever present shadow, on the other, he was faced with a crowd of alchemists and their families--Sig standing a head above most of the crowd. The teen had a feeling that to the consummate scientists, he was an experiment. It angered him a bit, but he knew he'd be gawking just as much as the rest of them.

"Holy shit," he heard come from the crowd.

"Russell!" a soft voice hissed. "Language."

"So are you actually going by Russell and Fletcher now, or did you tell everyone you're Ed and Alphonse again?" Stepping through the small sea of alchemists, a blond head began to move, though it was Fletcher's strange green hat that Ed spotted first, poking out between two alchemists Ed had never seen before.

"If I told people I was you," Russell Tringham said, as he appeared from behind Sig, "no one would believe me." Ed looked up at the blond who was a year younger than him and a foot taller. "Word is spreading everywhere about this rebellion and the fact that somehow the great Fullmetal Alchemist managed to get himself pregnant." With a smile, Russell extended his hand. "Aside from the obvious, Ed, how are you?"

"I've felt better," Ed said as he shook the younger teen's hand.

Fletcher walked over and gaped at Ed, who ruffled the sandy-colored hair that stuck out of the top of the hat.

"Well, now," a woman's voice said from the crowd, "I guess it's no wonder that you freaked out when you copped a feel." Ed's gold eyes scanned the crowd for the source of that voice.

"You copped a feel?" Roy asked, his hand on Ed's shoulder.

"Accidentally." Ed watched as a tall blond woman walked through the crowd. "Clara, or should I call you Psiren, I thought they locked you up."

"They had me in captivity for all of an hour before I escaped, Edward." Clara smirked and looked over at Roy. "Looks like you've got good taste, though. He's very handsome. And leading all of this, I understand."

"Yes, he is, and you go showing him your alchemy symbol, I will have to hurt you." Roy looked at Ed questioningly. "It's above her boobs."

"We are not the only ones here," Izumi said. "I have been working with the Ishbalans in rebuilding some semblance of what they had. You and Al especially have garnered favor with the Ishbalan people, and they have come to help as well, though they don't seem pleased with the leader. There are two boys who are keeping Al company." Looking up at his teacher, Ed got the impression that Izumi knew the truth about what had happened to Al, but was not saying anything, for fear that one of these alchemists might try to use the younger brother, even if their intentions were good.

"Leo and Rick?" Ed asked. Izumi nodded. "Why are so many people coming here?"

"Because we all want to help you, because you've helped so many of us," Clara said. "Even if you did try to get me locked away. Besides, I'd love nothing more than to get the chance to rob a few things from Central." She looked over at Roy. "Well, boss, when do we ship out and start this thing?"

"Tomorrow." Roy looked seriously at the group surrounding him. "We invade Central tomorrow."

It was then that Ed saw a tall blond standing in the back of the crowd. "Come out here, old man," Ed said. Roy looked at him strangely. "Not you. I mean _my_ old man." Ed eyed Hohenheim as he moved through the crowd. "You're here too?"

"I wanted to see you again."

"Care about that now, do we?"

"Edward, I've spoken to Raine. Dante isn't dead."

"We know." Ed patted Wrath's head with his left hand. "Wrath told us that."

"You've encountered her already. In Lior." Hohenheim looked around him. "If I can't fight her off, it's better you all know, anyway. The one you call Lyra, she was the last person to see Dante alive? She reeks heavily of perfume? That's to disguese the rotting of a body that cannot be maintained by a weakened soul."

"Lyra?"

Hohenheim nodded. "If you can find some way of giving a picture of her to everyone here, let them know that she is the enemy." Ed fought not to back away as his father placed a hand on his human shoulder, a sad smile on his face, other hand moving down to the babies. "I hope I get to see them."

"Why the hell wouldn't you? I may not like you, but I'm not going to keep you completely from your grandkids." Ed was trying to comprehend that Lyra was Dante, failing miserably at coming to grips with that, but he was concerned with his father's behavior at the moment.

"I'm going to find Dante. This is my mess. I need to take care of it." Hohenheim started to walk away, Ed grabbing the man's sleeve as he did.

"Bastard, you finally come into my life, Al's life and you are going to risk your own trying to be all noble? What the hell do you think you're going to accomplish going there on your own?"

Hohenheim turned back around. "I'm going to try to regain a little of the person your mother loved. I'm going to keep you safe." He glanced down at Ed's stomach. "I can only imagine what she wants you for if it's not as an ingredient for the stone."

A protective instinct kicking in, Ed wrapped his hands around his stomach. She wanted his babies. She wanted… Aideen. She needed a body, and already, Ed was providing one that had natural alchemic ability that even he couldn't dream of.

"Take care of your little brother," Hohenheim said, walking away.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39 **

_**Capturing the Elrics **_

"I don't like this, Roy."

"Don't make me tie you down, Ed." Roy kissed Ed's forehead. "You need to stay here."

"Why? So if you get yourself killed I don't know? So I can sit here worrying you're already dead?"

"At sunset, we are charging the city, and I want to know you are here and safe. I want to know you're okay, Ed. You want to look at this in a way that doesn't bother you, then look at it as keeping me safe. I can't be worrying about you when I face off against him, Ed, I can't." Roy held Ed's glaring face in his hands. He meant what he'd said. If Ed stayed at the campsite with Izumi and Sig, Roy felt his lover and their children were safe, and he could face Pride without concern--no more than to be expected--that Ed was somehow in danger.

"That's being manipulative, Roy," Ed said.

"Maybe, but did it work?"

Ed didn't answer as he folded his arms across his chest defiantly, though Roy knew this was a yes. The colonel bent down, taking Ed's left hand in his own, lacing their fingers, the rings on their middle fingers touching together. Roy did what he could to memorize Ed's face, to take in every detail of his lover's features. He couldn't help but notice as Ed's honey-colored eyes twitched, apparently doing the same.

Ed reached into a bag he'd been carrying at his side, pulling out the dagger he'd pulled from Wrath's foot. "Take this," he said as he handed the weapon to the black-haired man.

"Ed--"

"I'm not going to be able to get close enough to use it. Besides, we know you're facing off against the fuhrer, and I want to know you're going to be safe." Roy felt the distinctive feeling of that metal arm, so much a part of Ed that Roy was beginning to love those damned limbs as much as the human ones, wrapping around his neck and pulling him down to the blond's level. They kissed, Roy wishing that there could be a point in their relationship where he didn't have to kiss his lover like it would be the last time they would set eyes on one another.

"I love you, Roy," Ed said, the first time he'd actually said it without the older man initiating it.

"I love you, Edward," Roy returned, kneeling in front of the teen, rubbing the belly before him. "And we both need the two of you to wait. I want to be there when you're born." With a resigned sigh, Roy stood back up.

"Well, if you want to see them born, you're going to have to come back in one piece."

"Brother," Al said, looking across a campfire at his older brother, who sat on a makeshift chair, Wrath still at his side, Izumi on the other. His brother's right hand was wrapped around his stomach, the other rubbing the pendant he'd received from the colonel, worry, anger and frustration all flickering across his features. Sig Curtis sat by Al's side, a blocker of sorts from Izumi, Wrath and Ed, but even the butcher's conversation couldn't distract the younger Elric from his brother. He looked lost, sitting there, tears faintly falling down his cheeks. Al wanted to go over and try to comfort him. This wasn't Ed's area, showing emotion, showing pain. Al was the bleeding heart of the family, and because of the philosopher's stone, the one thing they'd been looking for all these years, he couldn't come near his brother.

Al looked over at Wrath, who was reluctantly close to Izumi, with only Ed as a barrier between the two of them. The younger brother suspected that the homunculus wasn't really as angry at his creator as he let on, but yet he didn't seem capable of forgiving her. Izumi on the other hand, looked like her stone façade might break any moment, having to be so close to the boy she created, yet do nothing, offer him no comfort and gain none for herself.

"Damn it!" Ed said, smashing his automail fist into the wood chair that held him. "I shouldn't be here just waiting. Waiting isn't doing any good!" Ed lifted his hand, revealing a splintered armrest.

"Edward," Izumi said, "it's very important that you take care of yourself."

"I know that!" he snapped. "But I'm not supposed to be here sitting while Roy, my friends, and the other people fight my battle."

"It's everyone's battle, brother."

"And what good is sitting here doing getting your body back? I promised you that I'd get you restored before I had the twins."

"Brother, it's okay."

"No, it isn't. Roy's off fighting the fuhrer, that bastard father of ours is fighting Dante." Ed growled, "That isn't their place. At least not alone. It isn't right--"

"Shh." Wrath said, looking off to the distance.

"Did you just shush me?" Ed started to say more, but Wrath placed Ed's former right hand over Ed's mouth.

"Cars. Coming this way."

Al could hear them now, listening as the door of a vehicle opened, then slammed shut. "Ed and Alphonse Elric…"

"That voice…" Ed said.

There was a click. Then another.

"Boys, run!" Izumi yelled, though all could recognize the sound of sound of guns being cocked.

Wrath helped Ed to his feet, as the three youths moved away as quickly as they could, Sig and Izumi remaining behind, even as a red eye began glowing in the near-dark.

"Hohenheim," Dante said, her new body barely hiding to her former lover her true form. "Did you come back for a visit?"

"You know why I'm here?"

Rolling her eyes slightly, Dante smiled at Hohenheim. "There was a time when you didn't care about using people for our own benefits. Have you had a change of heart, or is it simply because this time it involves your two favorite sons?"

At those words from the shadows, an androgynous figure charged at Hohenheim, but the older man had been expecting this, his own son's remains in his hands, weakening Envy before he could even make contact with his creator and father. Hohenheim's discussion with Roy had warned him that his creation was still very much alive and angry at him.

"You bastard," Envy practically growled at his father.

"Envy, I told you to wait," Dante said authoritatively.

"If you thought I was going to wait while he was here, you were kidding yourself." The homunculus struggled against the piece of bone Hohenheim held in his hand, shocking its creator at the strength and determination that forced him onward. The older man heard the sound of a baby crying in the distance, and glanced over his shoulder to see the figure of a woman in a long white dress cradling a fidgeting bundle.

"I figured if you could be a father again, I could maybe adopt a child," Dante smiled. "Until I realized that a much better option was about to present itself."

"You are not getting my granddaughter," Hohenheim said, his usually calm demeanor fading.

"And you are going to stop me?" Dante asked, shifting her new body's features into an amused smirk. "I highly doubt it, Hohenheim."

"Ed would sooner see his own child dead than have her body controlled by a monster like you."

"I would imagine so," Dante said, "though tossing around a word like monster is a bit hypocritical." She walked over to the woman and her baby. "She's still breastfeeding, you know. All I need to do is wait until your precious little granddaughter is born, and Rose can care for her. I don't need Ed."

"I'm going to have another baby," the woman named Rose said in a dreamlike voice. "A little girl. A little sister for my boy."

"What have you done to this girl?"

"Merely prepared her mentally for motherhood again, Hohenheim. I considered taking her body myself, but she is such a sweet, caring woman, I thought she would make a perfect mother."

"You cannot use a baby for your own devises. You can't use this woman like that."

Dante raised her hand over the squirming bundle. "Strange, I think I can, and I will. Nothing's going to stop me. Not even you."

"No!" Envy shouted. "You can't send him through that Gate!" The homunculus continued to struggle, shifting into the form Hohenheim had nearly forgotten, the face and body of his eighteen-year-old son, blond hair, golden eyes, strong masculine form. "I want to finish him off."

"As long as he has your body on him, you can't. And Envy, don't forget who is master here."

"I don't give a damn about you _Master_. The only reason I follow you is to see humans die, and for the chance to see him die. If you stop me from doing that, then I have no reason to follow you anymore."  
Hohenheim watched as something began to glow on the child's stomach as Dante's hands circled the air above. He wasn't going to escape, but maybe…

"Do you want to come after me? Make me pay for creating you and abandoning you for my two better sons?" Hohenheim tossed the bone away. "Then come after me." He saw in the corner, the female homunculus from the camp, watching, waiting to see her master destroyed, and realizing in that instant that it wasn't going to happen.

"Envy don't!" Dante shouted.

As he felt himself being pulled into the gate, Hohenheim saw that Envy was right behind him, ready to attack, but that didn't matter. He couldn't defeat Dante, but there would be no coming back for the homunculus. The monster he'd created couldn't hurt his boys.

Ed could only move so fast, and even at top speed in his condition, the thing that was emerging from the woods could easily overtake him. Looking back as he ran, he watched as something half-human half machine exited the woods.

"Elric brothers! I am here to arrest you in the name of King Bradley. You will not be harmed." Ed watched as the thing stepped into the light of the campfire. The half of him that was metal was almost unrecognizable, and the human half still looked to be recovering from a few bruises, but the right side of the man's face was clearly recognizable.

"Archer," Ed hissed.

Izumi clapped her hands and attempted to drive a stone spike through the half-man, but he merely blocked it with his strange looking left arm.

"I was told not to hurt the boys," he said, not moving his mouth, his voice seeming to come from somewhere else within the man. "But nothing was said about the two of you. After the embarrassment you caused at the Southern Headquarters, I don't think anything could be more pleasant than to finish you off."

Izumi put up a large barricade between Archer and her self and Sig, as Archer's left arm rotated, pointing a long gun-barrel-shaped object at Ed's teacher and her husband. Archer began to fire, slowly breaking away at the cover Izumi had provided.

"Teacher!" Al shouted.

"No!" Ed yelled almost simultaneously.

"Ah, there are the brats," Archer said before turning to face about twenty troops behind him. "Capture them."  
Once again, Izumi tried to create a spike, but between a coughing fit ending in blood and the strength of Archer's new body, it did no good. Meanwhile, Sig was busy taking out the soldiers, doing enough damage to them that it was a shock to the teen still trying to run away as the butcher was shot in the arm.

"Sig!" Ed shouted, trying to run to him, but found his own arm stopping him.

"No," Wrath said, looking sternly up at him. "Do you want to get yourselves caught and taken right to her? Is that what you want? We need to go." The boy looked up at the suit of armor. "Go!" Al began to run and Ed found himself practically being dragged into the forest.

"And how fast do you think you can run, Major? Do you think you can outrun me?" Archer taunted, his mouth finally opening to reveal why he no longer used it to speak. He was a human gun. "If I see Flame again, I'll have to thank his sister. The painkiller she released in my body let them make some amazing modifications and make them rather quickly."

"Don't you even know what you're following? What the fuhrer really is?" Ed yelled while he ran.

"A superior being, a homunculus. Yes, I know, you little brat, but it will be a great empire he will build, and I will help him do it. I'll be a general, I'll be renowned, and your little boyfriend will be dead. Don't think I don't know what I'm doing."

Ed knew he sounded certain, but listening to the man talk, he got the feeling that Frank Archer wasn't really there anymore, not mentally intact.

The gun began to open fire, striking Izumi in her abdomen before she could even manage another barrier.

"Mother!" Wrath shouted.

"Take the brothers somewhere safe!" she yelled back. The wound was not horrible, but with her already weakened body, particularly there, Ed felt a growing dread that this would be how he would last see his teacher. "Be a good boy."

Wrath pulled again at Ed's hand, tears in those violet eyes, but determination to protect fiercely written across the young face. Even with Wrath holding so strongly to him, Ed still tried to pull away, to try and save his teacher.

"She's dying for the two of you. At the very least do her a favor, and don't get yourselves caught." Wrath glared angrily as they moved away.

Though Izumi was doing her best to distract the monstrous colonel, it seemed to be doing no good, as his attention was now on the three attempting to escape. Completely ignoring the Curtises, Archer began chasing after the three.

"I always wondered why you liked to flash that automail of yours around, Fullmetal. I understand now. The sheer power in these things… It's amazing."

"Automail is not a blessing, even if it's the best in the world," Ed responded as he continued to struggle in his getaway.

At that, Gluttony suddenly appeared, stepping between the colonel and the three fleeing. He grabbed hold of Ed before the teen could offer any protest. "Dante has my Lust," the homunculus whined. "I must take you to her." Gluttony, in a speed far more rapid than Ed would have thought the cumbersome creature capable of, began to run off, the blond still in his arms.

"Let go of me!"

"You have to save my Lust!"

"What about my father?"

"Gone."

"What?" Ed felt his heart sink. "Gone?"

"Through the gate. With Envy."

Ed could see the figures of Wrath, Al, and Archer chasing after him. "You have to go to Dante. She won't let my Lust go until she has you. You have to stop our master."

Ed wanted to fight, but with the options either being carried there by Gluttony or dragged and tortured there by Archer, for once the homunculus seemed the better option.

"I'll go," Ed answered.

Wrath, seemed to hear that answer before Archer actually was close enough to grab hold of the boy homunculus. Wrath turned around and leapt at Archer, bonding his hands to the man's automail arm and swinging the thing backwards until the unpleasant sound of popping wires could be heard, just barely hidden by the scream of pain that erupted from wherever the colonel was . The boy then grabbed a rock, absorbing that into himself, smacking at the man's metal face. Finally, the boy brought his stone fist down to the metal knee, denting it. While Ed was carried by Gluttony, he could hear Al struggling to keep up, the limitations of the large suit of armor obvious at this moment. He watched as Wrath disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving a dented and bruised--possibly even dead--Archer to find his mother.

In Central, it had become a war zone, but search as hard as he could, Roy couldn't find the fuhrer. He saw, out of the corner of his eye the movement of a vehicle. Giving orders to that woman, Psiren, the vehicle was stopped with a blast of water from a nearby fire hydrant. At a glance, he could see that inside were the fuhrer's wife and son. Pride was trying to get them out of Central, to save them. It was strange to think that the homunculus actually seemed to care about his make-believe family, but Roy couldn't let that stop him. He couldn't forget his own family, one that would be in danger if Pride wasn't stopped.

The fuehrer's mansion, Roy realized. It was almost a stronghold unto itself, and looking at how the troops still loyal to the false leader were being positioned, Roy could see that they were actually working to keep the rebellion from targeting the mansion.

He shouted more orders, the boy Fletcher proving to be very helpful, even from his position at the back of the line, creating enormous vines to hold and constrict the officers without killing them as the rebels led by the former colonel pressed onward. But with each step, more and more of his followers became caught up in the battle, leaving the colonel alone when he reached the fuhrer's mansion.

The front door opened to the older man with his eye patch. "Are you going to stand outside, or are you waiting on your followers to help, rather than facing me like a man?"


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40 **

_**Showdown **_

Al ran after Gluttony who held Ed like a baby, just as small and as light in his thick arms. The homunculus looked as though it was actually crying as it charged ahead, occasionally muttering about its Lust. It was so determined that it was all Al could manage to do to keep up. The created man was short and his legs seemed to be poorly designed for speed, but yet the thing managed to outrun Al by several steps.

Occasionally, Al could see Ed, when he wasn't looking at what was ahead of him, turn around to ensure that his younger brother was keeping up. Al ran along from behind, trying not to lose too much ground, looking at the golden eyes that continuously glanced back at him, determination and actual concern hidden in them. Knowing his brother like he did, Al was sure Ed was weighing whether the younger brother should really be following or not. Ed didn't have a choice in the matter, Al wasn't going to leave his brother and soon to be family to the hands of a woman who had controlled the homunculi and thus far only managed to cause pain and hurt in her wake. They both know what the consequences could be, but took them willingly.

Until Dante was dead, there would be no peace for either brother, not for their families, not for the country. Through the forest, then underground through a tunnel, the two Elrics and Gluttony made their way until reaching a cave deep below the world of Central, revealing an entire city, left intact as it must have appeared centuries before.

"Gluttony, where are we?"

"It's the city where they made the first philosopher's stone," a child's voice said, sounding very somber, said. "It killed your father when he did it. Dante had to use the stone to put him into another body, and the town was buried, and Central built over top. That's the story that I heard from Envy, when he wasn't trying to beat me up." Al turned to find Wrath clinging to the side of the cavern wall, hand imbedded, literally, in the rock. "Gluttony, you take Ed down and I'll show Al the easiest route down. Stay quiet and let Ed think before you charge in like a stupid bull."

"Wrath?" Ed asked.

"Mother isn't sleeping right now."

Al looked to both Wrath and Ed for some explanation.

"Not sleeping, Al, but all the signs of it," Ed answered before Gluttony began hopping and climbing down the cavern wall.

Dead. Their teacher was dead.

"Follow me, Al." Wrath said as he showed Al the path that lead down the cavern wall, slowly reaching what appeared to be an enormous dance hall. It was the only building in the decaying city that had any sign of life, lights glowing through the windows. Gluttony set Ed to his feet outside.

"In there." Ed and Al looked through cracked windows at the scene of Rose twirling on the floor, baby in her arms, talking to her baby. Though Al had to admit it was nice to see the woman again, and hear that she had regained her voice, it was rather disturbing to hear what she was saying. She was telling her little boy that he was going to be a big brother. That she was soon going to have a little girl. Al looked, nervous, over at his older brother, whose arms had gone protectively around his midsection.

What had been done to Rose? How had she come to this?

"Go," Gluttony whined.

"Give them time to think," Wrath ordered the older homunculus.

"Brother?" Al hissed. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Unfortunately, no." Looking to the front of the room, Al could spot Dante in Lyra's body, standing not far from an immobilized Lust, who continuously coughed up something red. "She doesn't have long. I think we're going to have to wing it."

"Wing it? Brother!"

Ed clapped his hands together and blew apart the wall.

0o0o0o0

Faced with the fuhrer, Roy found himself raking the defensive immediately, getting in a few fire blasts only when it seemed the homunculus felt inclined to allow it. It was as though he was being toyed with. Roy was grateful for his time with the Elrics, improving his skill in this kind of battle. More than once, he'd have he'd have found himself on the wrong end of Pride's blade, but had managed to evade it, though older-looking homunculi managed to nick him once on his face and twice on his arms.

Roy fought using every technique he knew, even some of those that he'd discovered in some of Riza's belongings, written by her father. Fireballs, pillars of fire, this homunculus, with his eye patch removed and ouroboros revealed, there was nothing that he couldn't dodge. Not even a gun Roy had brought seemed to work.

As though seeing Roy's frustration in their battle, the homunculus chuckled. "I call it the ultimate eye. You can't beat me. It anticipates each and every one of your movements."

Once again, Roy shot at the fuhrer with a blast of fire, only to have it dodged, setting a nearby chair ablaze.

"Once again you missed." The man's only working eye gleamed malevolently, while the other one, blank save for that red symbol that nearly glowed with the fire around it illuminating it even further. With a cocky grin and determined expression worthy of Ed, Roy smiled. He snapped his fingers once again, praying that the redstones still contained in his state alchemist watch helped him perform this transmutation in more than theory. From the blazing chair, a long, serpentine dragon appeared, curling its body around the fuehrer, giving Roy the opportunity to toss the blade Ed had given him directly at the fiery monster. With a scream, the fuhrer's body exploded, Roy leaning against the wall. It was over. He'd assassinated the leader of the country, a homunculus. He'd done it.

0o0o0o0

In the streets of Central, the usually meek Fuery was fighting for his life, desperate not to kill men he had considered comrades up until a few nights before. He was trying to make his way to the government radio station, one that insisted to continue transmitting even with the horrors surrounding it. With a small guard of troops behind him, including Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Brosh, Fuery stormed the radio station, a stack of papers and documents buried under his arm, Sheska not far behind with more, herself such a resource, she was buried amidst the soldiers, protected like a rare jewel.

"Under the command of Colonel Roy Mustang and for the sake of the people of Amestris," Kain said, holding a gun to the man at the front desk, "I am taking control of this station."

Cocking her own gun, Ross pointed it at a reporter, who sat at a desk, microphone in front of her. "If you want the interview and story of a lifetime, I suggest you listen up."

The reporter, clad in a corporal's uniform looked up from the mike nervously.

"Sheska," Fuery said, looking for the brown hair in the midst of the crowd, "I believe it is time for the two of us to be interviewed."

Sheska had the facts to back up the story that the master sergeant had been instructed to give by his commanding officer. In order to prevent others from trying to copy the attempts at the philosopher's stone, Edward's pregnancy, or to create more like the fuhrer and the other homunculus, certain items needed to be omitted or glossed over in the story.

Sergeant Brosh continued to point a weapon at the man at the front desk, while Fuery joined Sheska beside the reporter and both went into a discussion that left the woman reeling, and it seemed realizing why she had gone into journalism in the first place.

0o0o0o0

Collapsed against the wall, exhausted from the battle, Roy could hear a chuckle emanating from the fire the alchemist had created in the mostly fireproofed library. "I so rarely get to use my abilities as a homunculus," the shadowy figure emerging from the flames said. "I always wondered what would happen if I were blown up."

"But the dagger."

"I will give you credit for your aim, Mustang," Roy watched as the fuhrer's body re-formed itself, attempting to snap his fingers for new attacks, but finding that even while trying to restore his body, Pride was able to avoid each assault. "but the dagger shot just a few centimeters off. Really, the blade is much too big to actually strike the center of my rather small ouroboros. Why do you think I gave it to that useless woman and her buffoon sidekick?"

The man's left eye glowed as Roy attempted to get away, only to feel the sensation of having a blade made hot by his own fire jammed directly into his left shoulder, pinning him to the wall. With a scream of pain, Roy tried to raise his hand, to blast the monster away. Instead, Pride grabbed hold of both of the pyrotex gloves, pulling them off of Roy's hands.

"I admire your efforts, but I'm afraid they are also making me quite angry." The fuhrer twisted the blade in Roy's arm, and the former colonel could feel the muscles being torn and manipulated beneath his skin. Much as he didn't want to, Roy cried out in pain. "Tell me, do you really think this is going to get you anywhere? If you destroyed me, were you really planning to becoming fuhrer? And of course you have those babies to take care of, don't you? It's such a shame you had to interfere in things, Mustang. If you hadn't, you might actually get to see them grow up. Humans find that important, if I remember right. You are all so emotional." Another twist of the blade, that by some grace had started to cool from the fire, and another scream followed.

The homunculus tossed Roy's gloves into the fading fire, turning back to the shorter man, pulling out a second, shorter blade. "You are also so easy to kill."

"Daddy," a tiny voice called.

"I'm in here son," the homunculus called.

"You would let him watch as you kill me?"

"Of course not, but I don't want him to walk in when I do."

"Daddy," the little boy said as he walked in. "Are you okay? The soldiers captured mother."

"I'm fine. I've even caught myself a little rat. Now, I need you to leave the house. Mr. Mustang has destroyed most of the library, and I don't want you getting hurt."

"You care about him," Roy said, struggling somewhat against the sword, which was released by the homunculus as he turned to his adopted son. "How can you dismiss emotions so easily?"

The fuhrer put his hands on his son's shoulders. "Go back outside. Wait on the steps for me…" Pride froze in place. "What did you bring?"

The little boy reached into a satchel at his side, pulling out a wrapped item. "You said it was really important. I took it out of the safe when mother and I tried to leave."

"You fool!"

In horror, Roy watched as Pride tightened his grip around his son's neck. Grabbing the sword and screaming out as he removed it from his body, Roy grabbed the item the boy had brought, suspecting what it must be as the fuhrer's son dropped it to the floor. Realizing that Roy now had the object that could destroy him, the fuhrer attacked his former colonel, only to find himself speared with the sword still covered in Roy's own blood. Grabbing the object in his left hand, straining each of those injured muscles, Roy revealed the skull of the man that Pride had been created to duplicate. Roy moved his right hand up to the wound at his shoulder, wincing as he dipped a finger inside, coating the digit in his own red blood. He brought the hand back down to the left, which still clutched the skull, drawing his alchemy symbol on the back, then pressed the symbol, watching as the weakened homunculus who had been struggling to retaliate, incinerate, his body eventually liquefying as Greed's had done those months before.

Roy tossed the skull into what remained of the fire, watching as it burnt into ashes as he strained to gather the barely breathing boy into his arms and take him out of the mansion and to someone who could help him, treat his injuries.

He walked through the open front door to find the most horrifying sight he'd think he'd ever see: Frank Archer, half a battered robot of automail, half still the man he'd known from the time he'd been a teenager.

"Give me a kiss, Roy," Archer said, struggling to raise a useless automail arm, and instead opening his mouth.

0o0o0o0

Beneath the battle above, Ed now faced Dante.

"Let her go!" he shouted.

"Why, because you had a deal with her?" Looking at the other two homunculi and Al, she smiled, twisting Lyra's lips upward almost unnaturally. "I cannot believe you actually brought me your brother as well. You've just delivered to me everything I need."

As Ed stood on the dance floor, Rose twirled by him, holding her baby out from her, smiling. "A new baby. I'm going to have a new baby." Ed grabbed her arm, stopping the twisted little dance. "Hello, Edward. I'm going to be a mommy again. I'm so excited."

With his left arm, the one that hadn't been holding the older woman, he smacked her across the face, sending the dusting of pink bangs flying. "Listen to yourself Rose. You had this boy because you were raped and won't let anyone near you now. How the hell do you think you've managed to have a second child? Look at me, Rose, you are not going to have another baby, and though you might make a great mother for them, I have no intention of letting you raise mine."

Stunned, both by Ed's uncharacteristic physical move as well as his harsh words, Rose stopped her dance, clutching the black-haired boy to her chest. "Rose, she's trying to control you, trying to manipulate you. You can't let that happen. Use those damned strong legs, Rose and get the hell out of here before she tries again."

"You let her leave, I'll kill her!" Dante shouted.

"No! My Lust!" Gluttony leapt through the hole that Ed had created in the wall, grabbing hold of Rose's arms.

"The redstones are gone," Lust said, wiping her mouth. "I can die now." In shock, Ed watched as she made a strenuous attempt to extend her fingers. "Gluttony, let the girl go." Gluttony obeyed the woman who he saw as his true master, letting Rose go to run away in horror, only to watch as Lust impaled herself. "You won't use me as bait," she said with a smile.

"No!" Gluttony cried out as he charged toward Dante, followed behind by Al and a much slower-moving Edward.

"Ed, Al, don't!" Wrath shouted.

"Gluttony, obey your master!"

"You killed my Lust."

"She killed herself," Dante answered as Ed struggled against Wrath's grip, watching in horror as Dante clapped her hands, calling forth a large spear, hurling it at Al, cracking his armor. "How many of those attacks do you think he can take?" Within Al, the swirling red substance glowed brighter than before.

With strength that should have been beyond him had it not been for the need to protect his little brother, Ed pulled free of Wrath's grip, managing to run toward Al a few steps more.

"You should just accept that you are going to lose your brother and your daughter," Dante said. "I'm going to take them both. Just accept it and get out of here. Maybe I'll let you and your little boy live."

"You aren't getting either of them, you bitch."

"You killed my Lust!" Gluttony said, looking ready to pounce on the dark-haired woman. Ed ran at her as well, as fast as he could move, Wrath following behind, still shouting at him to stop. Even Al was moving closer to the woman.

"Transmutation circle, Ed! Don't move!" Wrath shouted, but as Ed finally stopped, understanding finally what the boy had been trying to tell him, he watched as Gluttony attempted to engulf the woman, while she tried to blow him apart, their shared blood spreading onto the barely seen circles that covered the floor and walls, activating Al and drawing Ed and Wrath into the transmutation.

0o0o0o0

Raine heard the sound of gunfire from the fuhrer's mansion, and ignoring all else, she ran up the hill, finding a half-man standing at the front gate, looking to be reloading his automail guns. She leapt at the monstrous man, activating her transmutation circles as she did. She could just barely see the figure of a dark-haired man and a child on the front steps. In her anger, she yelled out unintelligibly, clasping onto the tall man's shoulder.

The man turned his face to her, and she realized in horror that it was the same man she had saved at Lior. "You bastard!" she yelled. Her onyx eyes grew cold, and as she began forcing the man's body to reject and separate from his automail. "I've heard that automail rejection is the most painful thing a person can experience. I hope that's true, you son of a bitch!"

Watching as he collapsed in pain, his body pulling away from metal, Raine released her hold and ran to her little brother, trying to hold back stinging tears as she saw that he'd suffered a blow to his head, one that had created a growing puddle of blood around it.

0o0o0o0

Ed stood beside his brother and Wrath once again in front of the gate.

"Hello again, Edward," a voice said from nowhere.

"Who are you?" Ed yelled out.

"Brother, who are you talking to?"

"You didn't hear that?"

"They cannot hear me, Edward. Only you because you have triple the alchemic power you did the first time you visited."

"The babies…" Ed said, while Wrath and Al looked at him strangely--as strangely as a suit of armor can.

"It takes a great deal of power to be able to communicate with me. For the moment, you possess that. Tell me Ed, what is it that you want? Were you unhappy with the results last time?"

"You brought a monster back and took my brother's body. Now we have the philosopher's stone, and we want his body back."

"Brother…"

"I can hear the gate. I can't explain now."

"And what of the little homunculus?" the gate asked.

"He wants a human body."

"I cannot give him a human body and just plant him back on Amestris. Equivalent exchange, you know, and a homunculus's body is not equivalent to the creation of a human one. You should know that as well as anyone"

"What do you mean you can't give Wrath a body?" The young homunculus looked at Ed as he spoke those words.

"What of a soul, Edward? What do we do for a soul?"

"It isn't fair," Ed answered.

"Of course it isn't. But in the case of your brother, perhaps we can give him back his body for an equal exchange. You are carrying two babies? Why not one of those. The girl seems like she could be a handful for you and her other father."

"My babies are not sacrifices!" Ed yelled out.

"No, they're not! I'd rather stay in this metal than lose my niece and nephew," Al yelled out, as though he hoped he could be heard if not hear.

"I need a sacrifice to bring back your brother, Edward. You know that. The stone brought you here to make this exchange with me, but isn't the sacrifice."

"Not my babies!" Ed said again. "Find some other sacrifice."

"Me." Wrath looked to the gate. "Take me. You get a homunculus and the arm and leg of an alchemist for the price of Al's body. But if I make that sacrifice, no tricks. You bring him back completely intact, got that, bastard gate?"

"Wrath, you can't," Ed said, hearing Al say nearly the same.

"I can."

"Acceptable." The gate opened. "A homunculus who's developed a soul is so much more valuable than a shell of a body."

"Wait! A soul! But you said--"

"The trade was accepted." The gate pulled Wrath forward.

"Goodbye. Maybe I'll find Mother here."

"Wrath no!"

With that, Wrath was gone, and Ed was reawakening in the large hall below Central, the naked body of a taller teenager beside him. Tears streaming down his face, Ed walked over to the tattered curtains on a nearby window, then draped the cloth over the naked body. He then knelt beside his brother, ignoring a growing pain in his back, which he was surprised was all that was hurting after what he'd been through this night, clapped his hands, creating a platform beneath himself and the unconscious form of his brother. He forced the platform to rise as he watched his brother shift, brown eyes opening.

"Brother," Al said, his voice somewhat deeper than it had been in the armor, "what happened? Where are we?"

"Beneath Central, Al."

"Why are we here?" Al looked at Ed strangely as he moved to press his hand to the ceiling, breaking through the stone roof. "And why do you look so much older?" Al's eyes shifted down to Ed's stomach. "What happened to you?"

The stone parting above him, Ed looked at his brother. "Al, how much do you remember?"

"We were trying to bring mother back. Did it work?"

"No, Al, it didn't work." Ed could feel tears continuing to stream down his face as he pulled his brother into an embrace. He was intact, whole, but his memory, the years they'd spent were missing.

"What happened to you?" Al asked, returning his older brother's hug.

"I'll explain later," Ed said, releasing the sandy-haired teen. "But, first, I'll need your help. We have to get to the surface." Ed knelt down again, grateful the pain in his back seemed to have reached its intensity and was dying down. He pressed his hands to the platform he'd created. "When we reach the cave ceiling, can you carefully break through while I raise us up?"

Al nodded. "You're crying."

"I'll explain that, too, but not now." Not now, not when he needed to get to Roy, to make sure he was safe, to get Al to a doctor who can make sure he was healthy.

0o0o0o0

Above them, Havoc could hear Sheska and Fuery being broadcast in radios throughout Central, the story of the monsters who had been in control of the country being aired for all to hear. As the story began to make more sense and each accusation Kain made was backed up by evidence from Sheska. The effect of the broadcast was obvious on the crowd as other soldiers began to stop fighting against the rebelling ones, all of the facts and statements making sense.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41 **

_**Delivery**_

Heymans Breda stood within the city, watching as troops who had been loyal to the fuhrer gradually surrendered one by one. Listening to the radios being turned on in homes all over the city, being broadcast on loudspeakers, Fuery and Sheska were doing one hell of a job acting as public information officers. Without additional bloodshed, the two nerds were actually managing to stop the battle. It surprised Breda, but was nothing compared to the sudden vibrations coming from the ground beneath him.

"Move!" the lieutenant ordered the troops around him. "Something's breaking through the ground!" It was a wave of blue as the men cleared the street, only to find a teenager with long light brown hair wearing drapery in toga fashion over his shoulder rising through a newly created hole in the streets of Central. The kid, probably about fifteen or sixteen, obvious in his face, though he was relatively tall, looked incredibly familiar, though his chocolate brown eyes and patchy facial hair didn't seem to match.

It wasn't until the auburn-haired man saw the figure resting on hands and knees that he realized who this boy was.

"AL!" Breda shouted, running to throw his arms around the boy in his new body. "Holy shit. You're damn near as tall as that armor of yours!"

"Figures he'd be almost a foot taller than me," Ed mumbled bitterly from below. "He's going to be built just like that bastard father of ours."

"Brother!" Al said, looking at Breda strangely. The older man released him, realizing that in the teen's eyes there had been no recognition of who he was. Al immediately rushed down to help Ed, joined by Breda. "Now, will you explain to me what's happened to you? Why do you look like this?"

"He doesn't remember?" Breda asked.

"None of it," Ed said with downcast eyes. The blond looked up at his younger brother. "Al, a lot of time has passed. I don't know why you don't remember any of it, but I'm seventeen years old now, making you almost sixteen." Al looked on at his brother in shock as Ed explained the whole complicated situation to him in as short a summary as he could. Breda tried to walk the two to the medics area not far from the hospital, all the while trying to find some more appropriate clothes for the lanky and mostly naked teen.

Unfortunately, at that moment Breda saw a sight he'd hoped he'd never witness in his life: a gurney was being rolled through the streets, a body on it, still bleeding profusely, and Raine Mustang straddling the dark-haired figure, hands glowing and tears streaming down her face. The gurney passed by, the men at back and front doing all they could to get it to the medics and the hospital. Breda saw that the colonel's face had been badly damaged, and his eye… well, the lieutenant wasn't sure what was left of it.

"Roy!" Ed shouted, twisting away from the two supporting him, grabbing onto his back in pain. "Roy!"

Al looked at his older brother in confusion. "The father… um… other father?"

Breda closed his eyes, trying to will away the image of his colonel's injured face as it had passed. "Yes," he answered for Ed.

The two tried to catch up with the determined blond, who was making Breda regret his comments about going to a gym as he couldn't even catch up with him this determined and yet still very pregnant.

0o0o0o0

In the hospital, hours later, Ed was leaning against a wall, trying to will away the agonizing pain he struggled not to let show as he waited for word, any word, on Roy. He was unable to get any answers, unable to find out what was going on, and wasn't allowed to go in. Ed had cried all he had in him, and was left with only dry heaves and sniffles, feeling hugely inadequate as Al stood beside him, arm around his older brother's shoulders. Somewhere, Breda had managed to find the teen clothes that mostly fit him, though the shirt was a bit tight and the sleeves a little too short.

"Brother, you're sweating a lot. Are you okay?"

"I pulled some muscles. I'll be fine."

"Is there some kind of painkiller they can give you?"

"I don't know of any that won't hurt the babies."

Al moved his left hand over, rubbing Ed's stomach. "I think I felt something."

"Good. I made a deal you'd get to before I got your body back." Ed could feel the pain lessening a bit.

A nurse walked by, Al politely speaking to her, "Ma'am, can you find someone who can help my brother? He's in pain."

"You aren't going to let this drop, are you, Al?"

"You're hurting, Ed," the taller brother said, still surprising the shorter one by the lower pitch of his voice.

"If you could find Dr. Knox, I'm sure he could think of something," Ed said. The nurse averted her eyes. "What? What is it? You mean he isn't back? We told him to leave when we left for our last mission."

"Dr. Knox didn't leave. There was a train accident. There were a number injured, and he didn't want to leave them. When the fuhrer found out that the doctor had been lying, he was taken away to be executed. Since then, we haven't heard any more."

Ed felt himself slump down the wall. "Executed?"

"Brother!" Al's strong arms guided Ed back up the wall.

"One more person…" Ed said. "One more person who sacrificed themselves for me." The dry heaves came on again. "You, Roy, Hughes, Marta, Wrath, even Lust, and now Dr. Knox…"

"Brother I'm here."

"But you lost five years. Five years because I tried to do something I knew wasn't right," Ed sobbed, the actual tears so long gone. No sooner was Ed doubled over in tears than his backache was back, more painful than before, not helped by his crying.

The doors to the operating room opened, Raine stepping out. Fighting through the pain, Ed stood upright, hands splayed on the wall for support, teeth unclenched only long enough to say three words, "How is he?"

"The bleeding's stopped, and I've done what I could. There's going to be a lot of scarring on his face, but there was no damage to his brain. He'll survive. I'm going to have to go back in there, though, they have an ocular automail mechanic coming in."

"Ocular?"

"He's lost his left eye."

Ed clasped his hands over his mouth, trying not to imagine Roy without one of his beautiful onyx eyes. Trying not to picture him permanently scarred, damaged for life just like Ed himself was. How could someone who had always been a ladies' man, who used each tiny gesture to convey trust or intimidation, be forced to hide that behind scars or a patch.

"Roy…" Ed said, absently, while Raine and Al wrapped their arms around him. "But he'll be okay?"

"I think so," Raine said. "He's going to need a lot of support though."

Ed nodded. "He has it." He looked up at the dark-haired woman. "But with the automail, he'll be able to see, right?"

"No. He'll have a glass eye that moves like a real one. The only way he could get one that actually worked would be for him to lose as much of his face as the son of a bitch who shot him."

Ed took a few deep breaths, beginning to feel the pain coming on again. He could feel the sweat gathering on his forehead, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. This time it was worse than before, spreading from his lower back around to his midsection, growing in intensity until he had dropped to the floor on his hands and knees, crying out, his voice echoing in the nearly empty waiting room.

"Brother!"

"Ed," Raine said, kneeling beside the teen, brushing back his sweaty hair with her fingers, "Ed how long has this been going on?"

"Five hours. The pain has been getting worse."

"And does it come in intervals?"

"I think every ten minutes now," Ed struggled to say as he felt the agony dissipate.

"Did you read _any_ pregnancy literature? You're having contractions, Ed."

"Wh-what? This was just back pain."

"You're collapsed on the floor and clutching your stomach. It doesn't seem like back pain anymore." Ed felt himself being lifted by his brother and Raine.

"I can't be having contractions. Roy's in there."

"You are, probably _because_ Roy's in there," Raine said, jerking her head to signal to Al that they needed to move him to an examining room. "Stress can do that, Baby."

"He wanted to see them born. He wanted to be there," Ed protested.

"And he might get to."

0o0o0o0

Jean berated Winry for staying in Central when there was imminent danger in the city, but she didn't seem to care. Nothing he pointed out to the teen seemed to get through. All she knew was at the moment, her best friend needed support because the colonel, his lover, had been shot. That was all that mattered to the young woman. She had stayed behind to be of help, which she had been, designing enhancements to weapons which would disarm but not hurt the still-loyal military personnel. Now, she wanted to be with Ed and was running through the streets of the city with Jean because he was concerned about his friend and commander, using escorting her as an excuse to find out the colonel's situation for himself.

Reaching the hospital, they went to the waiting room, expecting to find Ed there, sobbing, storming around angrily, but instead saw only a tall young man, with light brown hair that reached down to the middle of his back. He looked to still be a teenager, but his build seemed to suggest martial arts training. The teen leaned against a wall, running a hand through his hair, a worried and confused look in his chocolate-colored eyes.

"Where's Ed?" Winry asked, not really addressing the sandy-haired teen.

"Being examined," the young man answered. "He's started labor."

"What?!" Winry and Jean yelled in near unison.

The tall teen--he nearly looked Jean in the eyes--looked strangely at the two blonds.

"Winry?" he asked. "Is that you?"

Jean felt lost, particularly when he watched the young woman run across the room, practically leaping into lanky arms, yelling, "Al!"

"Holy shit!" Jean said, looking at the brother he'd only known as a suit of armor. "Al?"

The brown eyes scanned the lieutenant. "Jean Havoc? Why do I remember that name when I see you?"

"I've known you for nearly five years, Al," Jean answered.

"But you're the first thing I've remembered from all of this," Al said, still embracing Winry. "I thought my memories from when brother said I was in a suit of armor were gone."

"You're so tall, Al," Winry said. "And all that hair. Even stubble on your face. I still pictured you as a ten-year-old."

No, Al definitely wasn't a kid anymore. From the looks of him, he'd be stiff competition for any man over the age of fifteen for the interests of any woman he'd want. Where Ed had retained his youthfulness in every place but his eyes, which resembled an old man's when you looked into them, Al seemed quite the opposite, looking nearly twenty, except for those large brown eyes, which still looked at the world as though through a child's perspective.

"So, Ed's in labor?"

"He says the contractions are about ten minutes apart." Al released Winry. "I stepped out of the room when the doctor was examining him. It was a little embarrassing."

"Havoc!" a voice called from the radio on the lieutenant's hip. "Havoc, we've broken into the prison. We've found a lot of people here that were arrested for loyalty to the colonel or the major. Over."

Havoc unhooked the bulky radio, holding it to his mouth. "Falman, take them to the medics to have them checked out. Over."

"There's one here, being pretty persistant. Wants to know how Ed's doing."

"Damn right I want to know how he's doing. He's nine months along and has to be stressed!" an agitated voice said in the background of the radio. "I got him this damned far, so yes, I want to know how he is."

"I think it's his doctor. Over."

"Tell Dr. Knox that Ed's started labor and contractions are ten minutes apart. Over."

"He's started? Shit! What about the colonel? This is me asking, not the doctor. Over."

In the confusion, Jean realized he hadn't gotten to ask. As he stumbled over his words, looking to the now human Al, he felt the radio being taken out of his hand, and watched as the young man in front of him took over.

"He's lost his left eye and his face is in pretty bad shape. His arm will take some time to heal, apparently, he was stabbed in the shoulder. Over."

There was a bit of a pause, apparently so that the other man on the line could adjust to the news, as Jean was now trying to do. "Who is this? Over."

"It's Al, Officer Falman," Al smiled at himself apparently remembering Vato Falman as well, Jean realized. His memories were coming back.

"You sound different. Over."

"That's because I'm not in a tin can anymore. Over."

"Congratulations. I'm going to have someone bring the doctor up. Over and out."

0o0o0o0

Roy opened his right eye to find his sister standing over to him. He felt like he'd been smacked with a sledge hammer, and even with her alchemy, it seemed it was little help for the agonizing pain in the left side of his skull. He raised a hand up to that side of his face.

"Careful, Pyro. Don't want to hurt yourself."

"What… happened?" Roy croaked out in his haze. "Archer…"

"He shot you, Roy."

"My face…"

"And your eye."

Roy thickly swallowed. His eye. Gone. But as he turned his head, searching for any sign of his little blond alchemist, he found none. "Ed. Is he okay?"

"We need to get you in the room with him."

"What's wrong?"

"He's in labor, Roy. Started around eight hours ago."

"Eight hours…" Roy was still foggy from anesthesia, both the kind the doctors had injected and the natural kind Raine had released in his body. Roy tried to sit up, realizing his left arm was in a sling and completely restricted from movement.

"I can get a gurney for you."

"They didn't hurt my legs. I'm walking."

"Roy," Raine said in her most mother-like tone.

"I'm going. Tell me what room he's in."

"Fine, but you're going to use me for support, got it?"

Roy wrapped his right arm around his sister's shoulders, finding Winry and Jean Havoc in the waiting room.

"Colonel Mustang!" Winry said as Roy vainly attempted to smile through his suffering. "You shouldn't be walking."

"Chief, you look way too pale."

"He lost a lot of blood, and now he's being stupid," Raine said. "We have to get him in there with Ed and Al."

Havoc opened a nearby door, allowing Ed's screams to echo through the hall and waiting area.

"Ed!" Roy said, trying to move faster than his exhausted body would allow, forcing Havoc and Winry to catch him as Raine attempted to maintain her grip.

"Stop being a dumbass, Roy," Raine chided. "We'll get you to him."

Roy allowed himself to be led, less than willingly, into the room as Ed had stopped screaming, looking up to the figure at the door.

"Roy," his lover said, sounding absolutely exhausted. His legs were splayed on a pair of stirrups, Dr. Knox between them, checking the progress.

Roy looked around the room, seeing a rather battered looking Dr. Knox, a nurse and a young man he'd never seen before in the room, the teen actually sitting behind Ed as he strained. He was certain he'd heard Raine say Al was there, but he couldn't find the armor anywhere. He watched in shock as the new teenager looked up at him, brown eyes searching his face.

"Colonel Mustang," there was a smile there beneath the mop of long hair.

"Al?" Roy raised his eyebrows in surprise, only finding the motion caused pain on the bandaged portion of his face.

"I've got my body back, and my memories are starting to return, too." Then, with a more somber expression, he added. "Wrath traded himself for it."

Ed held out his left hand to Roy, obviously wanting the man to come closer. Roy felt himself being guided by the people at his sides into a chair beside his fiancé. The former colonel grabbed Ed's hand, feeling it grasp tightly, not from pain but just the reassurance that Roy really was there beside him, really was holding on.

Roy couldn't move much, but raised Ed's hand, pressing the calloused fingers to his unshaven cheek, then pressing them to his mouth, the closest he could manage to actually kissing his love.

"I thought you were dead. When I saw you on that gurney, I thought you were gone," Ed said, eyes drained, blond hair matted to his wet forehead.

"All right," Dr. Knox said, "those of you who aren't family or medical personnel, out of this room."

Roy could feel the grip on his hand growing tighter as another scream erupted from Ed. It was so rare to see the teen experience something so excruciating that he couldn't hold in cries of his own suffering. Roy knew this would hurt him, but he wondered if this was too much, if this was natural.

"Is it supposed to hurt him this much?" Roy asked as with almost superhuman strength Ed tightened his hold on his hand.

"Unfortunately, yes," Raine answered.

They went through twenty, maybe thirty minutes more of the screaming, the pain, while Ed's automail hand mangling the metal rail at the other side of the bed. Roy struggled as best he could to stay upright and ignore the loss of blood that still had him dizzy.

"Dr. Mustang," Dr. Knox said. "He's fully dilated, but because all of the necessary muscles simply aren't there to push the baby out, I'm going to need your help."

Raine nodded, going to Ed's other side. Another contraction hit, Ed screaming.

"Dr. Mustang, coax the baby," Dr. Knox ordered. Raine nodded, making her tattooed hands glow as she laid them on Ed's stomach. "Ed, try to push."

There was another scream. Roy couldn't help but look beneath the sheet covering the lower half of Ed's body, half amazed, half regretting he'd done so. He could see they'd had to elevate Ed's member with a piece of fabric, and beneath it, there was a head, bloody and covered in some kind of white gunk, making an appearance in the opening that hadn't been there a few months ago.

"I can see it," Roy said. "The head, Ed, I can see it." Ed continued to push, as Raine's hands moved downward, guiding the baby out. Roy looked back down, despite how grotesque this was, it was also the most remarkable thing he'd ever seen, watching as eyes, nose, mouth appeared, then chin. "The head's out."

"Just push a little more, Baby," Raine said.

"A little more, Brother," Al told him from behind.

"You all want to shove a damned watermelon out of your ass go ahead. I'm trying."

Roy, wishing he could see this with both eyes, wishing he wasn't forced to turn so far away from Ed in order to watch this miracle, watched in awe as the shoulders and the rest of the body slipped out.

The doctor cleaned out the baby's mouth, holding it upside down giving it a smack on its back to clear its lungs.

Roy smiled as his baby, their baby cried out.

"It's a boy," Dr. Knox said. "It's a little boy."

"Nicholas," Roy corrected. "It's Nicholas."

Dr. Knox cut the umbilical cord, as Roy's only hand was still occupied holding Ed's.

"What's he look like, Roy?"

"Slimy and puffy," Roy answered, "but beautiful."

The nurse took Nicholas to the corner, cleaning him off, preparing him to be seen by his parents in a less messy state.

Ed got a few moments reprieve before the contractions set in again, Raine laying her hands on him.

"She's upside down," Raine said. "It's a breech." She ran a hand down Ed's soaked face. "I'm going to have to turn her, Baby. Just like I did before." Ed barely nodded. Hisses of the pain Roy had witnessed on the teen's face a few weeks before mixed with cries of torture as contractions and the movement of the baby mixed.

With each move Raine made, Roy was certain it did harm to his own hand as Ed squeezed harder, actually forcing some yelps from the injured man.

"She's in position."

"About damned time," Roy said, watching as Al gently rubbed at Ed's hair and shoulders.

Another contraction, another scream, and another order to push. Again, Roy leaned down to watch, seeing this time a head of matted dark hair, a lot of hair, being pushed out the same way Nicholas had come. Above, Raine was coaxing the other twin out, while Ed screamed, tensed, and pushed, all the while doing what had to be irreparable damage to Roy's hand, not that the man cared, or noticed.

When Aideen was finally out, Dr. Knox repeated the process as he had with Nicholas. Again, the nurse took the baby to clean her off, Raine retrieving Nicholas from the tiny bed of blankets on the table in the corner.

"Can I take my legs out of these damned stirrups?" Ed asked.

"You still have the placenta to deliver, Ed," Dr. Knox said. Raine deposited the squirming baby into Ed's arms. Roy struggled to inch closer, to see their child, seeing in the little boy's face that of Riza, almost frighteningly so, though the tiny tuft of blond hair could have been inherited from either of the blonds. Nicholas opened his eyes, still puffy, but something told Roy that their shape would more resemble Ed's than his own. However the color, that was Roy's, pitch black, so dark that finding a pupil would prove to be difficult.

"If you try feeding him," Raine said, "it can speed up the delivery of the placenta."

Ed nodded, pulling open his shirt to reveal his newly developed chest, making Al look away in embarrassed disgust.

"I don't think I'm needed right here at the moment." Nervously, Al climbed down from behind Ed doing everything he could to avoid looking at the nursing baby at his brother's chest.

"Okay, what do I do now?" Ed asked, looking up to Raine.

"Guide him to the nipple."

The nurse then walked over to Roy carrying a pink bundle. "Would papa like to hold his little girl?"

Roy nodded, releasing Ed's hand and taking Aideen into his right arm. She had a lot of hair, far more than the little dab her brother did. It was as black as coal, but her eyes, which struggled to open in the light already had taken their color, just as Nicholas's had. They were like fire, gold and rusty brown blended together, a mix of both Ed and Riza. Her eyes seemed somewhat less wide than Nicholas's, but her features, save for her cupid bow lips, they were a blend of Ed and Roy, Ed's nose, Roy was sure. Roy's ears. Ed's chin. Roy's forehead and brows.

She was perfect. They both were perfect, and they were safe, and they were here, finally here.

As Roy began to cry, Ed looked over at him, concern on his worn face as he continued to nurse Nicholas.

"Tears of joy, Ed. I swear to you, tears of absolute joy."


	42. Chapter 42

_A/N: Thanks to all of my reviewers, Vixyfox, Ed Fullmetal Alchemist, Fuebi, Luceid, I love Malfoy as a ferret, catwoman47, klnolan, kisapeterson16, walkthrough, SoSickOfNyQuil, Bittersweet27, silkendreammaid, Lady Drosselmeyer, edsgirl10310, Mask of Mirage, Yuyuxsan, Mystique Monique aka Mina, Karasu-Sukebe, Maximum Poofy, and AikiaJumper. _

_Hopefully, I can manage to get the sequel up here at It's got a bit more smut (but plenty of plot) and is considerably longer. But you'll get to see more of the twins, Roy and Ed as parents, and an old evil coming back to haunt them._

**Chapter 42 **

_**Finé **_

Ed hated that five days later, he and Roy were still stuck in the hospital. The doctors were all still watching to make sure his body absorbed the created organs and that the mock vagina was in fact, closing. All of which was happening, though at a pace that was much too slow to suit the anxious teen. However, Ed had to admit that however pushy or obnoxious Raine could get, it was rather nice that she had been able to speed the healing process.

Waking up against the body of his lover, Ed looked up at the still-sleeping figure of the former colonel. Roy wasn't recovering so quickly. Like it or not, the loss of his eye was causing problems with his mental state, and it bothered the teen to know it. Roy was genuinely happy when around his family, but it was those quiet moments, when the older man thought no one was watching him that he looked the most lost. He'd been through a lot, he sure as hell hadn't needed this.

Hearing Aideen whimpering in the corner, a sign she needed fed, and as it was still a whimper coming from the little raven-haired girl, Ed wasn't risking that it could become a full-out cry and he'd be dealing with two noisy babies and a moody fiancé.

Ed slipped out from under Roy's arm, pulling away from the warmth of the man's unconscious body. He glanced at Roy sideways. Yesterday had been hard on him. They had finished off all of the nodes for his eye and installed the glass orb that was to replace what had been there before. It had been painful for Roy, and he wasn't entirely recovered, but the stubborn man had insisted that the eye be put into place as soon as possible. If only that were the only thing he was being stubborn about, Ed thought to himself. Roy was also trying to micromanage the take-over of Central from their hospital room, which meant there was a constant flood of soldiers presenting reports and disturbing the babies' sleep, not to mention Ed's. For the first time in months, he was able to roll over, to sleep on his back and stomach, and Roy seemed to always be working, disturbing the teen's would-be slumber--when the babies weren't managing that on their own.

But not this morning. At the moment, the older man was still recovering and knocked out thanks to the older Mustang. Ed didn't know what she'd given or done to Roy, but the blond was grateful.

Moving to the tiny bassinette, Ed pulled the dark-haired little girl into his arms. She looked up at him with those almond-shaped eyes. She whimpered just a bit louder than before as Ed struggled to open his shirt.

"I know, you're hungry. I'm working on it." Ed made his way to a rocking chair the nurses had kindly provided for the room he shared with Roy, bringing it up from the maternity ward. He brought Aideen up to his right breast, cringing as she began to suck. "This is so gross."

Ed had learned without even a single doubt that milk, in whatever form, especially the form that came out of him, disgusted him. Still, it was better for the babies, and he could manage to stick it out for a month, even if it did make him want to heave.

There was a light knock on the door, as Al's now clean-shaven face poked its way through. "Can I come in?" he whispered. Then, he looked down at what Ed was doing, growing red in the face and almost immediately closing the door behind him. Okay, so there was a plus to this whole awkward, disgusting thing: it embarrassed the hell out of his little brother and made his face turn about ten shades of red, and Ed really enjoyed seeing his not-so-little brother's human face show such signs of life.

Trying to get his mind off of how gross the entire situation was, Ed was usually able to admit that whatever the nursing released in his own body, it usually left him feeling pretty damn good, easing headaches and the discomfort as his body worked to reclaim its permanent status as male--strange as it was that this female act had such a result. Sitting there for a while, listening to the sounds of his little girl suckling, taking the occasional deep breath.

"I still can't get over how much hair you have. You put your older brother to shame." Ed placed his right index finger inside of her tiny little hand, for just a moment feeling the loss of that limb all over again. He could barely feel her with it. Still, the tiny little hand with its long fingers--she was twenty inches to Nicholas's eighteen--clasped onto the metal fingertip, her chest letting out a contented sigh as she finished nursing.

Gently removing his finger from her grasp, Ed covered himself back up with his shirt and re-fastened it, still holding her in his arms. He glanced down at Nicholas, who had also managed to wake up, but apparently with no need for food at the moment. The little blond looked up at his daddy, large coal-black eyes already seeming to take in so much of the world. As carefully as Ed could, he shifted Aideen onto his right shoulder, as she never seemed to mind the feel of the metal beneath his clothing, while Nicholas definitely preferred to be held by his human arm. Ed scooped the little boy into his left, then walked to the door, lightly tapping on it with his foot, knowing Al was still waiting outside. The door opened, the taller brother smiling and offering open arms for whichever of the babies Ed felt like handing over to him. The blond handed Nicholas over, since it was rare the little boy wasn't hungry or needing his diaper changed. Al really hadn't gotten to hold the fidgety little baby much since he'd been born.

As Ed stepped through the door, Aideen shifted back into his arms, snuggling herself against his body, actually looking comfortable in the crook of his automail arm. He soon found himself swarmed by Mustang's men, none of whom had gotten to actually fawn over the babies yet--as much as a group of military men fawn, between working on gaining control of Central and taking orders from their demanding leader. The only one not hovering was Havoc, who had gotten a brief glimpse of the twins after they were born and was, if his conversation on the radio was any sign, trying to find out where Gracia Hughes was. Watching as Breda, Falman, Armstrong and Fuery began to make over the babies, he noticed a massive mountain of a man moving down the hall, crutch under his arm. "Sig!" Ed cried out, finding Al looked just as shocked standing at his side. They'd received reports that he'd survived, but hadn't expected him, with his injuries to be moving about.

The large man made his way through the crowd of well-meaning soldiers, right shoulder bandaged, left leg wrapped. He carefully laid a large hand on Aideen's head, smiling just a bit at the little girl, then did the same to Nicholas in Al's arms. He patted Al on his shoulder, congratulating him on getting his body back.

"She would have loved to have seen this," he said.

Ed felt himself welling up, not because of the female hormones that were _still_ being pumped into him to ensure he could breastfeed the babies, not even at the loss of Izumi, he'd cried his tears for her and so many others already. It was at seeing how broken the large butcher looked.

"If you want to grab a seat, you can hold her if you'd like. After all, you're their grandfather." Sig again smiled, a little more easily, as he guided himself to a chair, happily taking the fiery-eyed child into his thick arms.

"You know, that little boy, he cried over her when she died," Sig said. "He really cried that she was gone, and I think she heard him before it was over, telling her he didn't hate her, calling her mother."

Ed nodded, not really knowing what to say. He'd shed his tears over Wrath, too, though the guilt lingered.

"Damn, I want a cigarette," Havoc muttered in his corner.

"Did you mean me, sir? Over." a voice came across the radio.

"No. And unless you can send me one through the radio, I'd have thought that would be a clue I'm talking to myself. Over."

Ed saw Winry, who had managed to keep her distance, come up to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. I just wish Colonel Bastard would stop making me worry so much. I understand the loss of his eye and the people he cares about, I really do, but I don't like seeing him depressed like this."

Winry rested her head on Ed's shoulder, then moved to rub over Aideen's downy-soft hair.

Al was hunched over Nicholas, making faces at the little boy, tickling his face with the long silky hair that Al had decided to let hang loose, after hearing Winry say how much she liked it that way.

"Look Mommy!" a little voice said from the end of the hall, a set of eyes peering beyond the medical personnel treating the other injured soldiers on the floor. "Big Brother Ed's thin again!"

Ed smiled to himself. Looking down at the sagging, stretch marked stomach last night, he hadn't felt particularly thin, but he supposed that in comparison to the beach ball he appeared to be smuggling under his shirt, he did look smaller now. He watched as Elysia Hughes poked her head out from behind a nurse, pulling her mother behind her.

With a loud crash, the radio that had been in Havoc's hand fell to the floor, breaking in more than a few pieces as he ran down the hallway, boots thumping on the tile floor. He threw his arms around Gracia, and almost as though he wasn't thinking, held her surprised face in his hands and kissed her full on the lips. He then scooped up Elysia into his arms, hugging her closely.

"I thought the worst had happened to you. I couldn't find out where you were staying. I was worried…" Putting a hand to his lips, mirroring Gracia, "I just kissed you, didn't I?"

Fingertips still on her lips, Gracia nodded, eyes wide, eyebrows raised.

"I'm so sorry." Gracia looked at him questioningly, still saying nothing. "Actually, I don't think I am. I'm sorry I did it so soon, but I was worried. I thought horrible things had happened to the two of you, and I just couldn't…"

His voice drifted off as Mrs. Hughes put a hand to his cheek. "You're right, Jean. That was a little sooner than I would have liked. Maes hasn't been gone a full year yet," She paused for a moment. "but perhaps it just means we need to talk to one another, figure this out."

Havoc let Elysia slide down to the floor, and the little girl took the two adults' hands in her own, walking down the hall with them, then quickly pulling their hands together and running ahead to hug her "big brother" and be re-introduced to the other.

"I don't think there's any question what she wants," Al said, with a smile as Winry came over to him and began cooing over Nicholas.

0o0o0o0

Later that afternoon, Roy had risen, a little more sullen for having forcedly slept through much of the day. Al and Winry had the babies, learning as Roy and Ed had, how to give the little ones sponge baths. Raine was changing Roy's dressing, but as she reached the large piece of gauze that served as the final protection over the useless eye and the wounds around it, the former colonel became very aware that Ed was in the room. He grabbed his sister's wrist, stopping her from removing this last barrier.

"I'm not going anywhere this time," Ed said, sitting on the bed, arms folded across his chest. "And I've already seen it when it was its worse. I'd like to see some improvement."

Roy released his older sister's hand, holding his breath in preparation for Ed's reaction. Roy had already seen the thing, the large star-like wound that centered at his eye, jagged lines reaching up partway on his forehead, farther down on his cheek. A graft had provided him with a functioning eyelid which covered over the false eye that was there for appearances alone. He watched the face of the young man he loved, looking for any reaction, but instead saw as the teen nodded.

"Much better than the last time I saw."

"Perhaps now that he's seen it, you'll let it get a bit of air. The wounds have all scabbed over," Raine said. "I'll come back in here in about an hour. Your babies will probably be hungry by that time, if not sooner, and I'll cover it back up then."

Roy leaned back on the bed, not really looking at Ed as he did, but was surprised to find a warm hand slithering itself beneath his own, a somewhat soft body pressing itself against his right shoulder to lean up and press wet lips to his cheek.

"Doesn't it disgust you? The cuts, the damage, the scarring that's going to happen?"

Ed leaned back, pulling open his shirt just a bit. "Do mine disgust you?"

"No. It's just… it's my face. My eye… You don't understand."

"No, I didn't lose something on my face or my eye." Ed roughly grabbed Roy's face with his right hand. "I can cover myself if I need to, but so what? Maybe your depth perception is always going to suck. Big damned deal. You are still here, still alive, and still have one eye that is capable of seeing your children. And you're the type that can pull off an eye patch and make it look damned sexy. You want to mourn the loss of an eye, fine, but don't give me shit about not understanding. Roy, I can hardly feel when my daughter wraps her hands around my finger, and our son can't stand being held in my right arm. I understand the loss, Roy."

Roy looked into those angry and pitying golden eyes, his jaws aching at the metal which gripped them. "Roy, they will probably be nasty scars, probably looking a lot like the ones on my chest and leg, but I'll take the scars if the option is not having you here, you asshole. And if you're worried that you'll look like him with an eye patch, remember yours would come down to here." Ed pressed his lips below the wounds on Roy's cheeks. "And up as far as here." He kissed Roy's forehead. "So it will look nothing like the fuhrer's. And, if you feel it is still too much, do without it. So there will be scars. So what?"

Ed leaned down and kissed Roy on his lips, hand still clasped on the older man's face. "This seems vaguely familiar, but you don't taste like ice cream and potato chips."

In spite of himself, Roy smiled.

"Now," Ed said, finally releasing the former colonel, "the next time you're feeling depressed or upset about something, tell me or I will repeat this again. Got it?"

Roy nodded.

0o0o0o0

The babies were two weeks old before their parents were finally released from the hospital, Roy now donning a large black eye patch, beneath which there still remained quite a lot of gauze. His left arm was very weak, but out of the sling. Beside him Ed looked almost back to his usual self, if not a little softer from the added weight he'd put on during the pregnancy or the chest that still had him forced to wear baggie clothes or layers, but he was grateful he no longer looked or felt like a whale. Today, as they exited, though the two were both wearing suits, each cradling a baby in his arms, prepared to go straight from the hospital to the courthouse to make themselves legally a couple. Standing behind the doors to the hospital, seeing a very large crowd outside, cheering and celebrating them as though they were royalty, Ed looked up at Roy.

"So, tell me, you've haven't given me an answer, but I think for our marriage announcement, I'd like to know whether to say Major Edward Elric, who kept his last name despite the insistence of his new husband, married today Fuhrer Roy Mustang, or Colonel Roy Mustang, or Private Roy Mustang, or civilian Roy Mustang…"

Before Ed could get an answer, he saw that outside, Havoc was holding a cake from Gracia with two little grooms on top, the blond one sunk about an inch into the cake, icing still on Havoc's index finger. Had Ed not been holding Nicholas at the moment, he would have flipped the Lieutenant off, and incidentally, the entire crowd of people.

"Look at that!" he yelled, feeling Al on his right, trying to calm him down. "Damn him! I'm not that short!"

Roy laughed, a good, genuine laugh. After Ed had cooled down, he pressed his right hand to the door.

"A fuhrer."

"What was that?"

"You're marrying a fuhrer, if they'll have me."

"Look at that crowd. What do you think?"

With a smile, Ed walked out of the doors of the hospital, Roy at his side.

0o0o0o0

"Ulysses, wake up."

He opened his eyes, looking around. Above him stood a strange boy he'd never seen before. Where was he? How had he managed to wake up here? The boy was kicking him. He was on the floor, regaining consciousness, but had no idea where he was or how he'd gotten here or why this obnoxious pre-teen was assaulting him.

"_I want to die. I don't want to go on."_ He remembered hearing those words just before he'd woken up here. It hadn't been his own voice, but it had sounded like him.

The brown leather shoe moved to make connection again, he grabbed the shoe, knocking its owner to the hard wooden floor.

"Ulysses what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Who are you talking to. That isn't my name."

"Did we decide to change it?" the older boy asked.

He stood to his feet, looking down at his would-be assailant. "I've never gone by that name before."

"And what would you prefer to be called, oh mighty one?" The other boy, probably about twelve, stood.

"Call me Wrath." He looked over the taller boy's shoulder and gasped in shock at the reflection he saw in a tiny mirror. His hair was shorter, his eyes still violet, but his cheeks were ruddy, his teeth flat. Come to think of it, he felt different. Wrath held up his hands. They still didn't match. He still had Ed's limbs, but…

He was human.

And from the looks of it, somewhere he'd never been before.

"Where am I?"

"In the orphanage, you dolt."

"The city, the year…"

"London, 1921. Did you get hit too many times in the head?"

London?

THE END (Until part 2, was this enough of a teaser?)


End file.
